Distribution and Planning of Educational Services in the City of Jenin, Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Educational services are considered as an essential part of the physical infrastructure of the city, and hence the development of educational services in the city should be in parallel with the urban development of it, where the main task of these services is to meet the needs of the population in the form and type required. The urban growth and expansion, in addition to the increasing needs of the population for services in general and educational services, in particular, has led to the necessity to study the distribution and planning of educational services in the city of Jenin, and see how the balance found in this distribution, in order to improve this service by selecting the optimal site to reach the best distribution. The study area is located at latitude 32.28 north of the equator and longitude 35.18 east of Greenwich. This study aimed to survey the educational services, to be aware of the current geographical distribution of educational services pattern in the neighborhoods of Jenin. By comparing national, regional and international standards and how much extent it goes with these specifications and standards, and planning for the best site for educational services (kindergartens, schools) using geographic information systems, and to develop a clear vision for the distribution of these services while tackling the most important obstacles to apply those standards, therefore, and in order to achieve this, the concepts related to the planning especially the planning of educational services have been studied, and the study relied on descriptive- analytical approach in the context analyzing data that has been collected from stakeholders (Directorate of Education in Jenin) or through the kindergartens and schools of the city of Jenin field survey.Also the level of satisfaction with these services were measured through the distribution of questionnaires to a sample of students as well as school principals and kindergarten. And using an aerial photograph of the city of Jenin and through program (ARC GIS 10.2) data was input, processing and linking them and analyzed using analysis tools attached to the program and produce maps and various forms that serve the study, as well as the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study showed that the city of Jenin suffers from a lack of educational services and its typical distribution is of accumulated style, and also it lacks the presence of licensed nurseries of the Ministry of Social Affairs. It showed that the scope of the impact of educational services does not cover all parts of the study area. The study also showed the presence of a random distribution of educational services; for not depends on sound planning standards, particularly schools that suffer from irregular distribution and concentration near each. The study showed that 32% of kindergarten does not meet the minimum required of the child from the total area amounting to 5m2 share. The schools, all the basicl schools, higher primary schools and secondary schools do not check any of the international and national standards relating to the size of the school, the number of classrooms, student share of the total area and built stadiums in addition to the number of students in the classroom. The study recommended the need to follow scientific principles and standards of planning when selecting school sites and to be away from the spontaneity and the random distribution of educational services, and work to establish a new educational services sites to fill the shortage suffered by the study area, taking into account the urban development and population growth rates in the future. The study also recommended the need to provide licensed nurseries for children in order to meet the needs of working women.