Gaza Students Resume Studies in Tents Amid Destruction
Half a million pupils begin the academic year in makeshift spaces as the ministry urges global aid for housing and school repairs.
Nearly half a million Palestinian students returned to education in Gaza on Saturday for the 2026–2027 academic year. They defied devastating humanitarian conditions by studying in tents, shelters, and makeshift classrooms across the strip.
The Palestinian Ministry of Education announced the start amidst extreme difficulty. Students and teachers face displacement, severe shortages of basic materials, and profound psychological trauma from ongoing conflict and genocide in the region.
Jawad al-Sheikh Khalil, director of education in western Gaza, noted that authorities worked to return around half a million students to some form of education despite severe shortages of appropriate classrooms, desks, equipment and educational materials.
Ministry figures indicate around 541,000 students will continue education through roughly 700 in-person learning points and 25 temporary schools. Virtual education remains available for students unable to attend classes physically due to the widespread destruction.
The ministry called on the international community to provide dignified housing solutions for displaced families sheltering in schools. It urged UNRWA to reopen facilities formally while stressing the urgent need for psychological support and sustainable funding for recovery.