From Gaza to Sheffield
Alia Shaheen, 35, lives in Bureej refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip and along the Eastern border with Israel. She and the 13 members of her family, share a single house. Her father used to work as an infrastructure laborer inside Israel, but lost job along with thousands of other Palestinian workers, and after, was unable to find employment in the local market in the Gaza Strip. Because Alia lost one of her brothers in the ongoing conflict her family were eligible for humanitarian support from the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Alia achieved a cumulative mark of 87.8% in secondary school, which is a great achievement considering the families difficult conditions, particularly due to the location of the Bureej camp which is subject to Israel military incursions from time to time due to the proximity to the border.
Alia joined Al Quds Open University studying Education with a minor in English Teaching Methodology and managed 80% over the four years. When Alia graduated, she was unable to find a permanent job, despite applications to both UN and government schools, so she began teaching at private teaching centers and teaching kids at home in order to support her family and help her sisters and brother to afford university. Alia says “As the eldest, I had to find a job and make my way, despite the very challenging market, in order to help my family.”
Alia was accepted into the Al Fakhoora International Masters Program to pursue her Master’s in Educational Psychology. Alia said, “This is an essential field and specialty that is highly needed in Gaza considering the severe and deteriorating psychosocial situation. This is a field that I have a great passion for and I think will be contributing to highly.”
Alia’s left to Sheffield University in late 2012, “I majored “It’s a very interesting course that joins practical and theoretical experience. I had field visits to schools where I learned and experienced the UK educational system. This was very rewarding. I was also given the chance to teach at the schools during the weekend for about two months. The teaching approach is very interesting, giving great value and respect to students in an interactive learning environment, very different from the classes in Gaza.” Alia stated.
Alia graduated with merit, completing her dissertation on ‘Educational Problem’s within the Islamic Schools in the UK’.
