Palestinian International Organization for Peace and Human Rights

September 10, 2025

The start of the school year outside of classrooms

On September 10, 2025, concerns mounted that children in the Gaza Strip were entering their third year of schooling without regular schooling, while the new school year began in other Palestinian areas. The effects of the destruction of educational buildings and repeated displacement were compounded by a lack of access to distance learning.

Damaged schools and limited educational opportunities

The published human rights article addressed the extent of the damage to educational buildings and teaching staff, and noted the ongoing efforts of local communities through educational tents and volunteer teachers. However, these initiatives do not fully compensate for the loss of a safe and organized school environment.

Long-term effects on children

Prolonged disruptions to literacy and social skills development exacerbate the gap between students with access to supplementary learning resources and those without. Displaced children also face difficulties maintaining access to books, devices, and the internet.

Re-education is among the priorities of recovery

Protecting the right to education requires providing safe learning spaces, reforming schools, and supporting teachers, educational materials, and alternative learning methods. Special attention must be paid to children with disabilities and those who have missed multiple years of schooling.

The featured image is for illustrative purposes and does not document the event itself. An archive photo of a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza, February 2025, does not show a specific school. Photo by: Jaber Jihad Badwan, License CC BY-SA 4.0 — Image page.