Mrs. Sohaila Abu Gosh, Vice Director in Charge of East Jersualem, Manchi: The municipality is responsible for the area from Qufur Aqab in the north to Um Tuba in the south, including approximately 40,000 students, 124 kindergartens, and 53 schools in East Jerusalem. The population of East Jerusalem cannot be regarded as homogenous: it includes urban and rural population, refugees, residents who live in extreme poverty, as well as under conditions of particular hardship in the Jerusalem Envelope. The education system is functioning under harsh physical conditions. Throughout the years there has been a great need in construction of new classrooms, and schools are forced to rent buildings, the rooms are extremely crowded, some of which are bedrooms or living rooms of rented houses transformed into classrooms. It is not possible to absorb all new students into the system, which is why it is mandatory only to register children who are in kindergarten age or first grade, and only those that register based upon a vacant spot. In certain neighborhoods, the study day is divided into two shifts: morning shift until 12:30, and afternoon shift, during which a new group begins to study. Boys and girls study in separate classes and schools in East Jerusalem - only in Beit Zafafa, Um Tuba and Silwan the schools are co-ed.

Mr. Moshe Shriki, Principal, Kedma Junior High and High School: Integrating both a lecture and discussion with the audience, Moshe Shriki spoke of social stratification in Israel, focusing on the tracking process in the education system, and the lack of academically oriented high schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods across Israel (as opposed to vocational high schools that exist in these neighborhoods and towns). Kedma is the only academically oriented school that exists in a weakened neighborhood, and has been established to enable students from Katamonim neighborhood to achieve higher education. Classes in Kedma comprise of up to 25 students, and many times are divided into smaller groups of about 12 students. The students study about and work with the surrounding community as part of the school's curriculum.

Mr. Abed Al-Karim La'afi, Chair of Parents' Committee in East Jerusalem: Abed Al-Karim La'afi spoke of the neglect of Jerusalem's education system since 1967, and noted that lately Education Minister Yuli Tamir acknowledged the need for 1,300 additional classrooms in East Jerusalem. He spoke of the crowded conditions in the rented buildings that the schools are compelled to use. Schools are currently using every possible centimeter, in every angle, living room, bedroom or caravan. Mr. La'afi related to the High Court of Justice's ruling in 2001, requiring the municipality to build 245 classrooms until the end of 2005. Despite the High Court of Justice's ruling, until 2004 only 13 new classrooms were built, and in 2005 only 35 additional classrooms. Abed Al-Karim La'afi mentioned that every student has a right to 50cm, yet in reality students in East Jerusalem have 20 cm. The schools in East Jerusalem lack laboratories, libraries, yards and playgrounds. A Jewish student receives 5 times more funding than an Arab student in the north of Israel, and he or she receives 6 times more than an Arab student in East Jerusalem. There is approximately a 50% drop-out rate of students in East Jerusalem, mostly due to the lack of space in schools.