Gaza Students Begin New School Year in Tents Amidst Severe Conditions

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the new academic year has begun for nearly 700,000 students in Gaza, with education largely taking place in tents due to extensive damage to schools caused by the ongoing conflict. Many educational facilities have also been converted into shelters for displaced individuals.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education has stated that the destruction of schools has necessitated the use of tents and temporary spaces for students. These makeshift classrooms reportedly lack basic educational equipment, including desks, chalk, and textbooks.

Some educational institutions are reportedly conducting multiple teaching sessions daily in the remaining functional buildings to accommodate the maximum number of students given the limited available spaces. Students are facing severe shortages of textbooks, notebooks, and stationery, with many forced to sit on the ground in the tent schools. This situation is expected to negatively impact students’ academic performance, particularly in foundational skills like reading, mathematics, and science.

Students with disabilities, including those who are deaf or mute, are encountering even greater educational hurdles. Schools designated for exceptional children have also suffered damage, leaving no appropriate learning environments for them.

In an effort to maintain educational continuity, the ministry is exploring a blended learning model that combines in-person classes in tents and temporary centers with online education for students unable to attend physical sessions due to displacement or security concerns.

Furthermore, the ministry has raised concerns about the escalating psychological impact on children, citing the persistent effects of bombing, displacement, and the loss of family members. It emphasized that providing psychological and social support is now as crucial as continuing education.