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According to Jerusalem Municipality population registry figures, the city has 106,534 between those ages. Far reaching consequences result. Classroom capacity and new construction plans can't accommodate everyone needing education.
Conditions are contrary to Supreme Court directives. Numerous times over the past decade, the Ministry of Education and Jerusalem Municipality were ordered to provide free education for every Palestinian child.
They're permanent State of Israel residents. Israeli and international law mandate their right to free education. Thousands don't get it. City and education ministry officials know it. They promised to address discrepancies. Follow through wasn't forthcoming. It's not happening now.
At the same time, policy initiatives exacerbate the problem. East Jerusalem land is stolen. Residents are displaced. Settlement development is prioritized. Palestinians end up denied. Over a thousand needed classrooms aren't available. Construction plans are woefully inadequate.
Shortages are more severe considering the disparity between Municipality and education ministry population figures. Its size dictates resources allocated to accommodate it. As a result, thousands of kids are left out and cheated.
According to one assessment, 2,827 children from grades one through 12 don't attend school. It's based on MANHI figures. Municipality figures show over 20,000 school aged kids are denied. If five year olds are included, "numbers soar even higher."
Some families send their children to West Bank schools. They have no other choice. Data discrepancies leave many questions unanswered. More troubling is that authorities have no answers.
According to a 2009 state comptroller's report, over 1,000 needed classrooms aren't available. As of summer 2012, requirements exceed 1,100.
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