In cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, the Masar Ibrahim Al-Khalil organization, in mid-March, began two-day training courses on Wilderness First Aid for 80 primary school teachers from the West Bank (Jericho, Ramallah, Jenin, Hebron).
The training, according to the PNN, prepares educators to face the possible risks and emergencies during school trips and even on regular days at school.
Teacher from the Girl’s Primary School of Al-Azariyeh, Maysoon Zaatreh, said that teachers “have learned the techniques of first aid which is useful because accidents may also happen at school.”
Masar Ibrahim also coordinated with the Ministry of Education in organizing 17 hikes for students of governmental schools from various governorates that will take place in April 2017, under the environmental campaign Leave No Trace. The teachers who pass the wilderness first aid training will accompany the groups of students on the trail.
Teachers are only allowed to take students for school trips to remote places only once per semester. Most of the trips are to playgrounds and amusement parks, in order to provide for some joyful time for the students. Some of the teachers also take their pupils to historical sites and natural areas. However, they try to stay close to the their home areas.
And so, this was an opportunity for the children to experience wild life in Palestine and learn outside of the classroom, especially regarding environment and nature. Teachers expressed their delight to be introduced to the Masar Ibrahim Al-Khalil trail and most of them wish to experience it.
“Regarding walking trips, we took only twenty pupils belonging to the scouts group to Wadi Quelt. We hope that we could introduce a higher number of students to the natural heritage areas like this,” said Amin Halaq,
“Two years ago, our scouts group walked on Masar Ibrahim and we took part in a cleaning action in the area of Auja Valley. This kind of activities empower students and strengthen their characters,” said Abla Kattoum, teacher and scouts’ leader in Kafer Malek.
Teachers who pass the theoretical and practical exams receive a license in first aid from SOLO schools.
