Effects of the blockade on the educational process in Gaza

The educational process in the Gaza Strip is under severe pressure as a result of the blockade imposed more than 17 years ago and the repeated rounds of military aggression targeting infrastructure and society as a whole. These pressures have not only temporarily disrupted schools, but have profoundly affected the quality of education, the continuity of the educational process, and the psychological and social aspect of students and teachers alike.

Effects of the blockade and aggression on the educational process in Gaza

1) Destruction of educational infrastructure

War and siege have caused extensive damage to schools, universities, and educational centers. According to UN and Palestinian Ministry of Education reports, most schools were either damaged or completely destroyed as a result of direct or indirect shelling. Some schools have lost classrooms, laboratories and libraries, while others have completely collapsed and are no longer usable.

This destruction not only means the loss of buildings, it means:

Thousands of students are deprived of safe places to learn, either without schools or forced into unequipped alternative classes.
Using schools as shelters for displaced people, transforming them from educational institutions into emergency centers, thus disrupting their primary role in education.
The collapse of basic educational facilities such as water, electricity, laboratories, Internet networks, and libraries, which prevented the educational process from continuing even in alternative ways such as digital education.
The loss of educational materials and equipment, thousands of books, computers, chairs, paintings and teaching aids were destroyed or looted, making it more difficult to return to teaching.

2) Loss of school days and school years

Due to constant shelling and closures, hundreds of thousands of students have lost consecutive days and months of schooling. In some years, the entire school year was lost, as happened after the 2023202024 war in which more than 645,000 children were deprived of an education. This long break has led to significant gaps in academic achievement, forgetting basic skills such as reading and writing, threatening the future of an entire generation with a lack of university education and job opportunities.

3) Casualties among students and teachers

The damage was not limited to buildings, but also affected humans. A large number of students and teachers were killed and injured, leading to a severe shortage of educational staff. With teachers absent or traumatized, the quality of education has become very poor. These human losses have weakened the ability to restart schools even when infrastructure is available.

What are the challenges facing the educational process during the siege?

Bombardment of schools, universities, libraries and laboratories, many of which have turned into rubble or shelters for displaced people.
Loss of classrooms and learning tools, making it difficult to resume education even after the aggression has ended.
Losing frequent school days and months, and in some cases a whole school year.
Wide learning gaps build up among students, leading to poor literacy and basic skills.
The death and injury of hundreds of students and teachers, which causes a shortage of educational staff.
Many children and teachers have psychological disorders that hinder their ability to teach and teach.
Using schools as shelters for displaced people, depriving students of a safe learning environment.
Overcrowding, lack of water and electricity, and lack of health services within schools.
The difficulty of implementing distance education due to power outages, internet and lack of equipment.
Lack of systematic programs to compensate educational losses quickly and effectively.
Persistent fear and trauma resulting from shelling and displacement.
High rates of anxiety and depression among children, which reduces their ability to concentrate and collect.

How to improve education in Gaza

1) Rehabilitation of educational infrastructure

Renovate damaged schools and build new ones to reduce overcrowding.
Equipping classrooms with chairs and basic educational tools.
Introduction of alternative energy sources (e.g. solar) to ensure continued education despite power outages.

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2) Alternative education and digital learning process

Develop electronic platforms for distance learning by simple means (e.g. phones).
Provide tablets or computers for the most needy students.
Introduction of educational programs via radio or television to overcome the problem of the Internet and electricity.