Gaza’s education system devastated: 97% of schools destroyed

Pars Today – According to official reports, Israeli attacks have destroyed 97 percent of schools in the Gaza Strip, putting the educational future of 300,000 Palestinian students at risk.

Reports indicate that since the start of the military offensive in Gaza in October 2023, the region’s education system has faced an unprecedented disaster. The Palestinian Ministry of Education announced that 172 public schools have been completely destroyed, while 118 more have been damaged. Additionally, over 100 UNRWA schools (run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees) have also suffered significant damage.

Pars Today, citing IRNA, reports that the effects of these destructions on students’ lives are unimaginable. A 12-year-old student from Khan Yunis said, “It has been two years since I last sat in a real classroom. My books burned, and some of my friends were killed.” Now living with his family in a crowded shelter, he added, “The greatest loss is my education, because it means losing my future.”

The human cost is alarming: 17,711 students have been martyred, 25,897 injured, and 763 education staff have lost their lives. Despite this, around 300,000 students have been able to resume schooling under UNRWA-supported programs.

A Palestinian teacher, expressing continued faith in the power of learning, said, “I imagine the day when schools in Gaza reopen and are filled with the laughter of students.”

Meanwhile, Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA’s media advisor, reported that Israeli authorities continue to obstruct the delivery of educational aid.

Education in the Gaza Strip has been halted since October 8, 2023, following the start of Israel’s military campaign. Many schools have been destroyed or repurposed as shelters for displaced people.