16,000 Palestinian schoolchildren have been martyred since October 7.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics announced that 52,142 students will sit for the General Secondary Education Certificate (GED) exam in the West Bank during the 2024/2025 academic year, while 1,969 students from the Gaza Strip will sit for the GED exam abroad.

Inside the Gaza Strip, according to a statement by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) on Tuesday, a total of 24,500 students will take the exams electronically in phases. Meanwhile, approximately 41,000 students who were unable to register previously will be able to register for the high school exams, ensuring the continuity of education and in line with the complex emergency conditions the Strip has been experiencing since October 7, 2024.

About 16,000 martyrs were students enrolled in schools in Palestine, 99% of whom were from the Gaza Strip.

Regarding student casualties since the start of the aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, and up to today, the number of martyred students enrolled in Palestinian schools has reached a total of 16,242, including 16,137 martyrs from the Gaza Strip.

Due to the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip, the statistics indicated that it was not possible to collect data for the labor force survey in the Gaza Strip for the year 2024. Accordingly, the study areas and the relationship to the labor market for individuals (20-29 years old) in the West Bank only.

Business and Management has maintained its position as the most popular major among students over the past decade.

Among selected fields of study in 2024, Business and Management maintained its position as the most popular major among students (20-29 years old) with an associate's or bachelor's degree in the West Bank, a trend that has continued over the past ten years.

Future specializations

Global trends indicate a clear shift in the nature of specializations required in the labor market, with skills related to technology and innovation taking center stage. The demand for specializations such as computer science, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, and advanced engineering is growing as a result of rapid digital development. New fields related to climate change and sustainable energy have also emerged, such as environmental engineering and renewable energy technologies. At the same time, specializations that enhance humanistic and creative skills, such as design, entrepreneurship, and modern social sciences, continue to play an important role in building a resilient and inclusive future. These trends reflect the need for multidisciplinary competencies capable of adapting to a rapidly changing world.

High unemployment rates in all fields of study, and among females, more than double the unemployment rates among males.

The unemployment rate among individuals (20-29 years old) with an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in the West Bank rose sharply, reaching approximately 41% in 2024, compared to approximately 32% in 2023. Among selected fields of study in 2024, the arts major recorded the highest unemployment rate among individuals (20-29 years old) with an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree in the West Bank, while the highest unemployment rate among males in the same category was recorded in the education major at 41%, while the highest unemployment rate among females in the same category was recorded in the arts major at 81%.

Graduates in the West Bank need 6 to 12 months to get their first job opportunity.

Data indicates that graduates in the West Bank need between 6 and 12 months to secure their first job opportunity after graduation, reflecting clear challenges in the labor market and a gap between educational outcomes and labor market needs.