Gaza School Year Begins with 541,000 Students Under Exceptional Conditions

Gaza School Year Begins After Three-Year Disruption, with 541,000 Students Expected to Study

Gaza:  The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education has announced the start of the new academic year in the Gaza Strip after a three-year interruption caused by the conflict, with education resuming under exceptional conditions.

The Ministry said the new academic year began after completing the necessary preparations and assessing educational conditions through multiple pathways designed to accommodate students inside and outside the Gaza Strip.

The start of the academic year was delayed for technical and logistical reasons, as well as due to high temperatures, particularly because many students are expected to receive education in tents and caravans.

The education system will operate through two main tracks: in-person and virtual learning. In-person education is intended for students inside Gaza who are able to attend available learning facilities, while virtual education will continue for students who cannot access in-person learning and for Gaza students outside the Strip.

The Ministry is preparing approximately 700 in-person learning points across Gaza, along with 25 temporary schools. Virtual education is expected to serve about 20,000 Gaza students outside the Strip, particularly those in Egypt, while around 70,000 students inside Gaza who cannot attend in person will be targeted through online learning.

Overall, approximately 541,000 students are expected to benefit from the education programme in the Gaza Strip, including around 100,000 students enrolled in schools operated by UNRWA.

The resumption of education comes as Gaza’s education system continues to face shortages of schools, classrooms and equipment following years of conflict and widespread damage to educational facilities.