The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) was first established and took responsibility in 1994. (MOEHE website) In 1996, the MOEHE was divided into two separate ministries: the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, and these two ministries were merged again to become the MOEHE in 2002. (Nicolai 2007) The MOEHE has a responsibility for the whole education sector from pre-primary to higher education and for recruiting and training teachers as well. The MOEHE works as the liaison on training issues with the education directorates. (Mustafa and Bisharat 2008) The MOEHE is also in charge of managing governmental educational institutions and supervising private educational institutions and institutions run by UNRWA.
Education in Palestinian territories is centralized in regard to its curriculum, textbooks, instructions, and regulations. The administrative structure of the general education is composed of 22 fields' directorates (districts offices) of education, including 16 in the West Bank and 6 in Gaza.
The mission of the MOEHE is 1) to ensure education for all, 2) improve its quality and its standards, and 3) to ultimately develop citizens with sound and balanced characters