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A Small Revolution in Ramle
(Ha'aretz) Daniel Ben Simon - Imad Azbarga, 32, is principal of the Al-Amariyya elementary school in the Israeli city of Ramle. Over the years, the Arabs of Ramle have internalized the importance of education and have begun to invest resources for the benefit of their children. At the new elementary school that opened its gates three years ago, the pupils are all wearing the school uniform and most of the girls have their heads covered. Discipline is strict, the level of studies is high, and the classrooms are very clean. The school symbolizes changes that have taken place among the Arabs of Ramle and Israel's greater Arab population during the past decade. On the one hand, their national pride as Palestinians has mounted; on the other, they have strengthened their position in the social fabric of Israel. They feel themselves to be Arabs in every respect, but they are forging their way to success in Israeli terms. In the past ten years the proportion of preschool Arab children enrolled in an educational framework has risen to 90%, compared to about 89% in the Jewish sector. During the past decade, 16 new kindergartens were opened in Ramle for the Arab sector.