RAMALLAH, November 10, 2025 (WAFA) - The Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions in the Gaza Strip presented today, Monday, the operational relief and early recovery plan for the education sector in the Gaza Strip (as part of preliminary sectoral plans that are continuously updated in cooperation with Arab and international partners and UN agencies).
The presentation was delivered during a special meeting attended by Minister of Education and Higher Education, Amjad Barham; the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Palestine, Issam Bdour; the Ambassador of Ireland, William McLaughlin; and the Ministry’s Undersecretary and Chairman of the Palestinian National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, Ali Abu Zuhri. This also included representatives of partner countries, international and local organizations, and education sector actors.
Barham stated that the Ministry moved swiftly to protect students’ right to education only months after the onset of the aggression through virtual schooling, educational centers in shelters, and university support programs — restoring hope for hundreds of thousands of learners. Despite the war, Tawjihi (high school) examinations were successfully held for two cohorts (born in 2006 and 2007), with 56,000 students passing. Results for students born in 2007 will be announced next Thursday.
Barham praised Jordan’s support to the Palestinian education sector, particularly the electronic platform that enabled high-school examinations in Gaza. He said that without this support, tens of thousands of students would not have been able to sit for their exams under emergency conditions.
Regarding UNRWA, Barham explained that Gaza’s education system also relies heavily on the Agency’s network of 290 schools, serving nearly 300,000 students. He confirmed that the Ministry continues to coordinate closely with UNRWA to ensure the continuation of education in its schools despite destruction, shortages, and displacement — as they form an essential part of the educational system in the Strip.
Barham added that university support programs continue inside and outside Gaza, benefiting approximately 58,000 university students in Gaza and around 2,000 students abroad, ensuring their studies continue despite the destruction of most university buildings and the inability of students to access them.
From her side, Head of the Operations Room, Samah Hamad, affirmed that the Operations Room continues efforts to coordinate among government institutions, civil society organizations, and international partners to ensure an effective response that supports relief and early recovery for Gaza.
She stated that the Operations Room is presenting sector-specific plans for relief and recovery in cooperation with the relevant ministries, with participation from international organizations, donors, and field partners — ensuring unified efforts, coordinated interventions, and resource allocation based on national priorities, following an inclusive and participatory approach.
Israel Destroyed Over 82% of Schools and 90% of universities
Barham confirmed that the education sector has suffered unprecedented destruction, noting that more than 18,000 school students and 780 teachers were killed during the aggression. Assuming an average of 600 students per school, this means the equivalent of 30 entire schools have been wiped out — students and staff.
Ministry data shows that 82% of government schools sustained direct damage, in addition to widespread destruction of school supplies, student bags, laboratories, and technical equipment. More than 90% of universities, colleges, and higher education institutes were also damaged.
The Ministry recorded 3,858 academic and administrative university staff members killed, with hundreds displaced or missing, leaving only 2,656 staff able to continue teaching inside Gaza.
Barham outlined the challenges to restoring education, including Israel’s continued prevention of educational supplies from entering Gaza, thousands of displaced people sheltering in schools, extensive infrastructure damage, the urgent need for rubble removal before rehabilitation, and severe shortages of academic staff due to death or displacement.
He stressed the need to urgently restore effective education as a universal human right guaranteed by international law, reduce cumulative learning losses, and design remedial programs to compensate for educational gaps caused by two years of war. Barham called on the international community and donors to provide urgent funding to reactivate educational institutions, pressure Israel to allow school supplies into Gaza, support rubble removal, and provide safe learning spaces.
Relief & Early Recovery Plan: Expanding In-Person Learning and Continuing Distance Learning
During the meeting, Wissam Nakhleh, the Ministry’s representative in the Operations Room, presented a detailed plan built on urgent and phased interventions, including establishing temporary classrooms and educational tents in safe areas, and removing rubble from school yards in cooperation with UNMAS and UNDP to reopen temporary learning spaces.
Nakhleh explained that the Ministry is expanding face-to-face education, currently accommodating more than 200,000 students across 29 schools and 369 learning centers, with further expansion planned through additional safe learning spaces equipped with furniture and supplies.
The plan also includes continuing distance learning in schools and universities, and developing specialized virtual platforms for university students where in-person learning is not possible.
The Ministry aims to secure safe learning environments, provide school bags, stationery, educational materials, smart learning tools, assistive devices for students with disabilities, and psychosocial support for students and teachers. It also seeks to resume higher education through technological solutions and mobile laboratories enabling students to complete academic requirements.
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