GAZA, July 19, 2025 (WAFA) – Around 1,500 Palestinian students in the Gaza Strip sat for their Tawjihi (high school matriculation) exams on Saturday in an exceptional electronic session, amid Israel’s ongoing war on the besieged enclave.

The third round of exams, known as the complementary session, is designated for students who failed or missed up to two subjects from the 2023 academic year. Due to the extreme conditions in Gaza, the Palestinian Ministry of Education launched the exams remotely, using a special digital platform.

“This extraordinary step was taken in light of the genocide and devastation Gaza continues to endure,” said Education Minister Amjad Barham during a press conference in Ramallah. He explained that the exams were originally scheduled for December 12, 2023, but had been postponed due to the Israeli assault.

According to ministry spokesperson Sadeq Al-Khudour, the exams are conducted in two daily sessions, from 9–11 a.m. and 2–4 p.m., depending on whether students are sitting for one or two subjects. A pilot test was conducted on Thursday to ensure technical readiness.

The Ministry also announced plans for upcoming exams for students born in 2006 and 2007, with two full Tawjihi rounds expected to take place electronically once the current phase concludes.

In a grim statistic reflecting the toll of war, Al-Khudour said that out of 78,000 high school students in Gaza, 4,000 have been killed since the start of the Israeli offensive. Another 4,000 students took their exams abroad, while 70,000 remain, most of whom are expected to sit for exams later this year and next.

Despite the destruction and displacement, officials and educators say the move demonstrates the resilience and determination of Gaza’s youth to pursue education against all odds.

Y.S