Education in Gaza Faces Long-Term Impairment as Schools Lie in Ruins

Gaza's education system grapples with enduring damage as schools remain in ruins, signaling a prolonged struggle for learning continuity and future prospects in the region.

Amjad Abu Daqqa, a standout student at his Khan Younis school, demonstrated excellence in subjects like math and English. He harbored aspirations of securing a scholarship to pursue studies in the United States. However, his plans were disrupted by the outbreak of conflict in the Gaza Strip last October.

In recognition of his academic achievements, teachers would often treat him to excursions to nearby historical landmarks or to the pier, where they would observe boats and capture images of the sunset. Inspired by his elder sister Nagham, who pursued dentistry studies in Gaza City, Amjad aspired to a career in medicine.

Amjad's former life and aspirations now seem distant. His school has been destroyed by bombing, and he has lost many friends and teachers to the conflict. Along with his family, he sought refuge in Rafah, joining over a million others in search of safety.

"Everything I knew in my town is gone," lamented the 16-year-old. "I feel empty, devoid of hope, and I long to find optimism once more."

There seems to be no foreseeable end to the conflict in Gaza. Even if there were, the educational outlook remains grim for over 625,000 students, as estimated by the United Nations.

Seven months of relentless warfare have ravaged all levels of education in the region. The United Nations reports that over 80 percent of Gaza's schools have been extensively damaged or obliterated due to the fighting, with all 12 universities suffering the same fate.

In response, critics, including the Palestinian Ministry of Education and over two dozen U.N. officials, have accused Israel of deliberately targeting educational facilities, akin to its alleged targeting of hospitals.

Last month, a collective statement by 25 U.N. experts raised the question of whether there is a deliberate attempt to systematically dismantle the Palestinian education system, a phenomenon termed as 'scholasticide'.

The statement emphasized that these assaults are not sporadic occurrences but rather part of a systematic pattern of violence aimed at undermining the fundamental pillars of Palestinian society.

Just a reminder, my last update was in January 2022, so I can't provide real-time information. As of my last update, Hamas was designated as a terrorist organization by several countries and entities, including the United States, the European Union, and Israel.

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Hamas refrained from responding to inquiries regarding Israeli allegations of utilizing schools and other civilian locations in Gaza for military purposes. The group has consistently refuted such claims. When accused by Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, last autumn of operating within schools, Hamas issued a statement dismissing the assertion as a wholly inaccurate narrative.

According to a recent report by the United Nations, in the previous month, it recorded a minimum of 5,479 students, 261 teachers, and 95 university professors who lost their lives in Gaza since October. Additionally, it documented at least 7,819 students and 756 teachers who sustained injuries during the same period.

The aftermath of the conflict in Gaza carries significant implications for its future, particularly regarding education. With an already substantial interruption in their learning, students now confront a future where few functional schools remain post-war.

Hamdan al-Agha, a 40-year-old science teacher displaced from Khan Younis, lamented the profound impact on the education system, foreseeing its repercussions for generations to come.

Prior to the conflict, Gaza boasted 813 schools with approximately 22,000 teachers, as reported by the Global Education Cluster, a research group collaborating with the United Nations. Many of these schools were operated by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

As of last week, a study conducted by the Education Cluster, utilizing satellite imagery, revealed that over 85 percent of Gaza's schools had been damaged or razed. The study indicated that more than two-thirds of these schools would require complete reconstruction or extensive repairs before they could be deemed safe for use again.

A previous study indicated that over a third of school buildings were directly targeted, resulting in the complete destruction of 53 schools. Additionally, 38 schools suffered the loss of more than half of their structures.

Al Azhar University in Gaza City, where Amjad's sister Nagham pursued dentistry, has been significantly affected. The Israeli Army utilized the campus as a military outpost, alleging Hamas presence and leaving behind weaponry. Nagham now dedicates her time to domestic chores and caring for her brother in their family tent.

According to the Education Cluster study, over 320 school buildings have been repurposed as shelters for displaced Gazans. Alarmingly, more than half of these shelters have either sustained direct hits or suffered significant damage from nearby explosions.

An Israeli sergeant, who requested anonymity, revealed spending a week at Al Azhar University last autumn. He disclosed that soldiers discovered five tunnel entrances on the campus and personally observed weapons, such as rifles and grenades, within two of these tunnels.

"The sergeant remarked, 'It seemed reminiscent of a military base, but upon closer inspection, one can discern it's actually a university.'"

A second soldier, a reservist who preferred to remain anonymous, disclosed that the military employed Al-Azhar as a post to secure a supply route in northern Gaza, which doubled as a transit route for Palestinian detainees.

During their idle moments, he revealed, soldiers engaged in backgammon, sipped coffee, and sifted through the university's wreckage. He remarked that the majority of the discovered books were uninteresting, focusing on law or poultry anatomy. However, occasionally, soldiers stumbled upon practical items.

"The soldier recounted, 'There were laboratories everywhere, so we retrieved beakers, cleaned them, and repurposed them as coffee cups, which was a small comfort.'

Amjad recalled five teachers from his school who perished, among them his science instructor, Eyad al-Riqeb, and his physical education teacher known as Abu Shaker. Reflecting on the roster of losses, he admitted that at times, it becomes overwhelming to bear."

"He expressed, 'Gaza has lost everything. I've lost hope.'

Despite the adversities of war, some students endeavor to continue their studies, supported by volunteer teachers or parents who take on the role of homeschooling in shelters and makeshift tents. Nagham has become Amjad's instructor during wartime.

One day, he stumbled upon an English textbook being sold on the sidewalk, where vendors often peddle books for use as fuel. While his mother intended to use it for kindling, Nagham helped Amjad persuade her to let him keep it. In the evenings, the siblings sit together and go over the lessons from the book. Amjad remains resolute in his aspiration to study in the United States."

"Amjad mentioned, 'I read paragraphs alongside her, and she assists me in pronouncing words correctly. She also quizzes me on synonyms and antonyms of the simple words we come across.'

While Nagham is glad to help, she nurtures her own aspirations. She aspires to attend online lectures at Al-Najjah University in the West Bank to complete her degree, or alternatively, enroll in advanced English courses."

She has considered utilizing her medical expertise in Rafah, but the severely damaged infrastructure in Gaza renders even basic dental examinations seemingly unfeasible.

"All they can manage here is tooth extractions," she lamented. "There's no electricity."

According to Mohammed Shbair, a school principal from Khan Younis, displaced individuals in Rafah sometimes offer their tents as makeshift classrooms, where volunteers deliver lessons to children in the camps.

This past spring, he facilitated five days of fundamental instruction taught by volunteers in Rafah. However, he expressed doubts about the potential impact of these lessons.

He frequently encounters his former students on the streets, either selling food or patiently queuing for bread or essential medication. Seven months of conflict have imparted to them survival tactics rather than grammar and algebra.

Mr. Shbair, who has spent months residing with his own children in a tent by the beach, remarked that they are all simply striving to survive.

"Many of them dedicate their entire day to scavenging for firewood to provide for their families," he remarked. "How can these students even contemplate learning when fundamental necessities are scarce?"

Author, Adam Sella contributed reporting from Tel Aviv.

Source: nytimes