While children in many countries have resumed their studies this year after the break, schools in Gaza have remained closed for the third consecutive year. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), more than 660,000 children in Gaza have been denied their right to education, with over 85% of schools damaged or destroyed due to the conflict.
Before the war, Gaza had approximately 640 official schools, staffed by over 9,000 teachers serving around 441,000 students, with high enrollment rates of 95% in primary education and 90% in secondary education, and an overall literacy rate of 97%, among the highest globally. With the outbreak of the conflict, many of these schools suffered direct damage from airstrikes or were used as temporary shelters for displaced families, leading to a halt in regular education and depriving thousands of children of a safe and stable learning environment.
This disruption has directly affected academic achievement and daily routines, as in the case of my younger brother Abdullah, whose mother had to help him start over with learning basic letters and numbers.
Despite some efforts to partially reopen schools or establish temporary learning spaces, thousands of children remain deprived of regular education. Schools that were not completely destroyed often operate on a reduced schedule, with students receiving only limited instructional hours. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 250 temporary learning facilities were suspended or closed, affecting approximately 180,000 students and teachers.
Social and psychological crisis
This crisis is not merely an infrastructure issue but a social and psychological one. Children who have lost years of schooling face daily pressures, from standing in queues for water and blankets to participating in household or street work to support their families. Such circumstances limit their learning opportunities and increase feelings of frustration and anxiety about the future.
You have 53.74% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.