Gaza’s Children Back to School ...Challenges and Future Prospects

A new school year has begun in the Gaza Strip after the suspension of Israel’s 16-month "war of extermination" on the besieged enclave.

The UN on February 27, reported that more than 100,000 students have enrolled in school across the Gaza Strip since the new academic year began Feb. 23.

"As of yesterday, more than 100,000 students have enrolled in school following the start of the new academic year on 23 February," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference , stating that "to date, 165 public schools have reopened in Gaza. For most students, this will be their first time returning to in-person learning in 16 months."

Gaza’s ministry of education announced on February 23 the start of the new school year in the war-torn coastal territory despite the challenges that resulted from the widespread destruction that had been wreaked on the education sector during the Israeli genocidal war.

In a statement, the ministry said it made efforts to ensure that all Gaza students regain their right to education at the existing schools that were prepared for them, as well as at the makeshift educational points that were set up recently in different areas to make up for the shortage of school buildings.

The education system in the Gaza  Strip is in a state of profound crisis, facing devastating challenges that threaten the future of thousands of its children.

Long months of conflict, displacement, and systemic inequities have severely undermined access to education, leaving countless children without the essential support, structure and hope that schooling provides.

The ministry affirmed its commitment to ensuring the right to education for the children of Gaza despite the "massive destruction and severe shortage of resources and capabilities" caused by Israeli onslaught.

The war, persistent cycles of violence and displacement have profoundly affected the psychosocial well-being of children, with over 658,000 school-aged children having no access to formal education and the essential protective support it provides.

These children have already lost an entire academic year, with 39,000 unable to sit for their transitional exams (Tawjihi).

The learning loss and destruction of the education system in Gaza are unprecedented, exacerbating the already critical mental health crisis among children and youth. Nearly all of Gaza’s 1.2 million children require mental health and psychosocial support according to the United Nations International Children’s Fund ( UNICEF ).

Approximately 95.2% of 564 school buildings in Gaza have suffered damage, with nearly 88% needing significant reconstruction before functioning again. 

The damage in the education sector is estimated roughly over $2 billion. 

Since October 2023 at least  12,800 students and 800 education personnel have been killed, and 19,379 students and 2,603 education personnel have been injured while thousands more ‘missing’, presumed buried under the rubble, their deaths unmarked,according to the Ministry of Education.

Many of those injured face lifelong disabilities and significant challenges. 

However, besides the extensive loss of life and destruction of most of the educational infrastructure , the few remaining structures are used as shelters, forcing children to learn in makeshift tents, open spaces, or damaged buildings, especially during the harsh winter.

On the other hand, , these spaces lack proper temperature control , cannot accommodate all learners, without educational supplies , severely hindering education access and further limitingability to address these challenges.

The direct attack against a school violates the rule of distinction and constitutes a breach of the International Humanitarian law (IHL) and attacks on schools are a grave violation against children in conflict.  

The prolonged absence of education in the lives of these children doesn’t just mean the loss of basic knowledge, it also poses significant threats to their social and emotional development and to the motivation and support schools provide. 

The psychological toll is immense, with children facing overwhelming feelings of frustration, severe depression and isolation due to the persistent uncertainty about their future.

Children in Gaza have consistently expressed that going back to school is one of their top prioritiesproviding them with a sense of normalcy, opportunities to play with friends and develop skills and knowledge for their futures.

Education in emergencies is an essential part of a quality child- focused humanitarian response, where safe spaces are established and children can play, receive psychosocial support with referrals to specialized Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and Child Protection services. 

As the war on Gaza recently halted ,scaling up the critical education in emergencies response is currently possible but still with risk.

The siege on Gaza must end, with all crossings (re)opened to allow goods in accordance with IHL obligations for parties to the conflict – both commercial and humanitarian.

Israel’s  deliberate attempt to destroy the Palestinian education system, described by UN experts as a “strategy of educational extermination,” threatens the future of entire generations. 

It should immediately end its unlawful attacks on education, endorse and fully implement the Safe schools Declaration .

The international community should strongly condemn all attacks on schools and demand that all parties to the conflict respect IHL, commit no further grave violations against children and ensure that there is accountability for those committed to date.

It must prioritize urgent inclusive MHPSS and education in emergencies whenever safe and unimpeded humanitarian access is a reality.

Hope dies when a parent or child can no longer imagine their future and fulfil their rights. 

A ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on January 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed more than 48,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.

As the ceasefire deal continues along its planned trajectory in the coming months, the world must remember that education policies in Gaza are not only humanitarian imperatives – rather, they serve as investments in global stability and human capital to ensure a thriving society in the future.

Gazans must act now for a permanent and definitive ceasefire and  must keep their hope alive.