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Palestinian students have faced significant challenges in accessing quality and safe education for decades. However, the escalation of violence following the events of October 7th have exacerbated this education crisis to unprecedented levels. In Gaza, the war has nearly destroyed the education system, preventing almost all learning. Children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have faced increasing violence and restrictions since October 7th too, worsening existing challenges and creating new barriers for all 782,000 students. . 10 months into this crisis, the threats to the right to education for Palestinian students have never been so serious.
The right to education is enshrined in international law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Geneva Conventions. However, Palestinian students have faced significant challenges in accessing quality and safe education for decades. These challenges include violence targeting of teachers and students, Israeli military operations and raids in and around schools, settler violence, destruction of educational facilities, movement restrictions, and bureaucratic impediments. In recent years, Palestinian students have also experienced significant learning losses due to restrictions introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and a year-long teachers’ strike due to salary payment delays.
The events following October 7th have exacerbated this existing education crisis to unprecedented levels, with severe disruptions due to movement restrictions, military operations and settler violence, affecting at least 782,000 students across the West Bank. All schools run by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank have adopted a hybrid model, combining face-to-face and distance learning. This shift is primarily due to access constraints, protection risks, and economic pressures, which have intensified since October 2023 and led to significantly reduced salary payments for education staff. While UNRWA schools remain operational, they have occasionally closed due to the ongoing escalation of violence. Additionally, many out-of-school children are now reportedly engaging in child labour, a coping strategy to support household income during economic crisis. In Gaza, the war has nearly destroyed the education system, preventing education since October 7th.
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the current crisis has worsened existing challenges and created new barriers. 10 months into this crisis, the right to education for Palestinian students remains severely threatened.