About 450,000 Students Return to School in Gaza Despite School Destruction and Lack of Resources

Gaza - Afaq News - Schools in the Gaza Strip welcomed the new academic year today, Saturday, amidst difficult educational and humanitarian conditions, following years of students being unable to attend in-person education due to the war and the extensive destruction it caused to educational institutions.

The Director of Education in East Gaza, Munir Abu Zaiter, stated in an interview with Ma'an that the directorate opened the academic year from the Al-Tuffah government school adjacent to the 'yellow line', in a message that confirms, according to him, the commitment to education and the residents' persistence in their areas, despite the difficult conditions the sector is experiencing.

Abu Zaiter added that the opening of the academic year represents a return to life and the educational process in Gaza, noting that the war has caused the destruction of a large number of schools and deprived students of in-person study for a long time.

He explained that the Ministry of Education and its directorates resorted to establishing alternative schools, some of which were set up in tents, in order to provide temporary spaces to accommodate students and compensate for part of the educational loss resulting from their interruption from studies.

He pointed out that about 450,000 male and female students are heading to school in the Gaza Strip, at a time when the existing schools are suffering from a severe shortage of resources, equipment, staff, and a suitable educational environment.

Abu Zaiter indicated that the large number of students poses a significant burden on the Ministry of Education and its directorates, given the limited available resources, noting that some students are forced to receive their education in unsuitable conditions and in the absence of basic facilities that provide a safe and comfortable learning environment.

He confirmed that educational authorities are working, in collaboration with several partners and international, local, and regional organizations, to improve the conditions of alternative schools and to establish more of them, even if they are temporary, in addition to developing educational tents and using more sustainable and safe structures.

He added that efforts also include working to find solutions for the displaced individuals currently residing in some schools, allowing for their renovation, maintenance, and preparation to receive students in classrooms, which contributes to increasing the capacity of schools.

Abu Zaiter emphasized that the educational process in Gaza faces a significant challenge represented by accommodating hundreds of thousands of students amid the destruction that has affected schools and the weakness of resources, affirming the continuation of efforts to rebuild the educational environment and compensate students for years of interruption and educational loss.

He called on the international community to immediately stop the genocide in Gaza and to protect educational institutions and frameworks.

He called for the urgent start of the reconstruction of the damaged schools and the provision of the necessary support to resume educational life.

He emphasized that the right to education requires the concerted efforts of the international community to ensure a safe and better future for the generations of students in Gaza.