Gaza Students Return to In-Person Schooling After Three Years

Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza returned to in-person teaching on Saturday, marking the first time in nearly three years that students stepped back into classrooms following prolonged conflict. Operating primarily in damaged structures, tents, and makeshift learning centers, the reopening addresses an educational vacuum left by widespread devastation across the enclave.

The Structural Devastation of Gaza’s Educational System

For roughly 660,000 students across the Gaza Strip, the road back to formal education has been fraught with structural and logistical hurdles. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 98% of schools in Gaza were either destroyed or damaged during the war. This widespread destruction crippled the region’s academic infrastructure, leaving children dependent on remote learning or entirely cut off from structured instruction.

Despite these immense physical challenges, the Ministry of Education, backed by international and local organizations, launched the 2026-27 academic year by establishing temporary educational facilities. These makeshift schools utilize tents, tarpaulins, sheet metal, and wood, often erected on sandy ground or inside spaces furnished with little more than mattresses and blackboards.

While approximately 540,000 students are expected to attend classes this year in temporary learning centers, educational points, and makeshift private schools with UNICEF support, online learning remains a necessary fallback for those displaced or unable to reach physical sites.

Economic Pressures and Material Shortages in the Classroom

Beyond the physical rebuilding of schools, families face severe economic constraints that make basic educational supplies largely unaffordable. Stationery trader Khaled Aliyan noted that import restrictions have driven up prices sharply, pushing the cost of a standard notebook from 3 shekels ($1) to 15 shekels. For many parents, purchasing uniforms, pens, and notebooks is an impossible financial stretch.

Students arriving at their new classrooms often lack basic provisions. Many sit directly on the floor in poorly ventilated tents, wearing worn-out shoes while carrying the psychological weight of the conflict. Ibrahim Ramadan, director of education for East Khan Younis, highlighted the staggering human toll behind the academic restart, noting that the conflict has claimed the lives of around 22,000 students and more than 770 education workers, including 532 teachers.

To contextualize the operational landscape, the following data outlines key metrics regarding the current educational rollout and conflict impact:

Metric	Figure	Source / Context
Displaced Students Deprived of Learning	~660,000	Gaza Education Officials
Schools Damaged or Destroyed	98%	UNICEF
Students Expected in In-Person Classes	~540,000	Education Officials / UNICEF Support
Exchange Rate	$1 = 3.0177 shekels	Local Market Data

Geopolitical Realities and Ongoing Security Concerns

The return to classrooms occurs under a complex security umbrella. Israeli forces remain in control of more than 60% of Gaza following the ceasefire from the previous year, which halted major fighting but failed to end the conflict. For students like 14-year-old Yamen Abu Samra, the return to school is mixed with ongoing anxiety regarding stray bullets and military strikes.

Photo: ae.marketscreener.com

Control over access points and import restrictions continues to complicate daily life in the enclave. Israel’s COGAT military agency oversees access to Gaza, though it did not respond to requests for comment regarding supply restrictions or infrastructure damage. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have consistently asserted that Hamas uses schools for military purposes—an allegation that Hamas denies.

As 15-year-old displaced student Samar Abu Salmi remarked from the yard of her makeshift school, the pursuit of education continues despite the absence of basic supplies and the shifting landscape of the enclave.