Gaza Schools.. Their doors are closed and their future is uncertain

For the third consecutive year, the Israeli war machine is depriving students in the Gaza Strip of their right to attend their schools and universities, insisting on enforcing a policy of ignorance and leaving them in the wind.

The situation is extremely tragic, as school and university students are denied their basic right to education due to the ongoing war and its repercussions, which have affected everything, with more than 95% of schools destroyed and 85% of university buildings rendered unfit, depriving around 700,000 students of their right to education.

The reasons for the deprivation of education include the widespread destruction of the infrastructure of schools, universities, and training centers, in addition to the displacement of tens of thousands of students with their families to areas not equipped for education multiple times, and the instability in any given area for a long period due to the intensification of the war, which has prevented students from continuing their educational journey.

Moreover, the remaining schools are being used as shelters for the displaced, along with power outages, weak and interrupted internet service, and the lack of books and educational materials and a prepared educational environment to receive students and enable teachers to work, in addition to the ongoing security risks that hinder the regularity of education.

A whole generation is threatened by ignorance, losing important school years for students in secondary and university stages, in addition to the decline in opportunities to enroll in universities or complete university specializations, which has serious psychological repercussions on children and youth due to feelings of deprivation and helplessness.

Attempts by some local initiatives to provide distance education or voluntary lessons inside the camps are limited due to the lack of internet and electricity and the limited enrollment of students as they are busy with their families in meeting daily life requirements for food and drink.

In February 2025, the academic year was announced to start through alternative schools and temporary educational points, in addition to education in the camps and some virtual classes, which thousands of students did not enroll in due to their instability in a specific location.

The Ministry of Education has put in place an emergency electronic plan to conduct the Tawjihi exams that began this week despite the weak electricity and internet, and the fact that a large number of students do not have smart devices, phones, or computers to take the exams.

Thousands of children are receiving temporary education in alternative places and shelters within the displacement areas.

Distance education has activated virtual educational platforms, supported by international entities, but student access is limited due to the lack of internet and electricity and the majority not owning devices that enable them to join the study.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that "childhood cannot survive" in the city of Gaza, as the occupation prepares to occupy the city.

700,000 students in Gaza have been deprived of education for the third consecutive year, and more than 18,000 students have been martyred during the genocide war, as well as 4,500 university students who could not enroll in their universities after the destruction of all educational institutions.