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A YEAR OF SILENCE IN GAZA'S CLASSROOMS: THE URGENT NEED FOR EDUCATIONAL REVIVAL
CHILDREN IN GAZA HAVE LOST ONE YEAR OF EDUCATION
As of 30 July 2024, all the 625,000 enrolled students in Gaza have lost one full scholastic year. 39,000 students missed the Tawjihi (12th grade official exams) for the first time in decades. This means none of them can transition to higher education, and the majority of them may never return to school again. In place of being full of children eager to learn, school buildings are housing displaced families desperately seeking safety, when they are not being damaged. Mattresses and blankets fill classrooms and hallways; desks are repurposed as walls and wardrobes, and playgrounds are filled with tents and tarpaulins. This places a massive strain on the limited WASH facilities. At the same time, overcrowding contributes to an unhygienic environment and rapid spread of disease, increased protection risks due to lack of privacy, and damage to furniture and equipment. These conditions have had a significant negative impact on the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children, teachers, and caregivers, as well as severely harming the ability of children in Gaza to exercise their right to learn.
As of 30 July, according to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) – State of Palestine, 9,211 students and 397 educational staff members have been killed by the Israeli forces, while more than 14,237 students and 2,246 teachers have been injured since 7 October in the Gaza Strip.
The educational infrastructure in Gaza has also been significantly affected with 92.9% of schools sustained some level of damage to their buildings, including Direct hit, Damaged, and Likely damaged. At least 84.6% of schools require full reconstruction or significant rehabilitation before resuming schooling. One-third of directly hit or heavily damaged schools are UN-run schools under UNRWA's jurisdiction.