Committee for Educational Guidance for Arab Students

CEGAS was founded in 1991 by students and university graduates following the striking decline in Arab participation at Israeli universities. The committee's main objective is to increase the participation of Arab youth in academic life by organizing activities, publishing books and providing financial and social assistance to students and pupils at all levels of education. These activities involve and benefit the entire Arab community. CEGAS currently operates the following projects: 1. Educational and Vocational Guidance for pupils and students. 2. Student Development Program 3. Youth and Student Exchanges. 4. Student Training and Support. 5. The Student Social Commitment Program. 6. The Higher Education and Collective Social Commitment Research program. 7. Advocacy for Educational rights. 8. Al Carmel Academic and Cultural Center. We have achieved many accomplishments and success in the above projects and in achieving our main goal. These successes are mentioned as follows: 1. The rate of Arab students in Israeli universities has increased from 5.3% in 1999 to 9.5% in 2004. 2. Operating Student Dormitories for the period of ten years during which we accommodated hundreds of students, especially female students, from all over the country. 3. Reaching hundreds of pupils from the southern Negev to the northern Golan Heights during the school year through our Vocational Guidance programs. 4. CEGAS is the only organization that was given the ability to write, perform and score the Gifted Pupils Examination by the Ministry of Education. 5. We have organized tens of different workshops and courses to train youth and students on many academic, social and leadership issues. Most recently we organized a preparation workshop for the group and individual interviews for acceptance to the medical faculties in universities. 9 out of 11 participants in this workshop were accepted to their faculty of choice.