Gaza Students Return to Class in Tents and Ruins After Three-Year Absence

Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza returned to in-person classes on Saturday, marking the first time in nearly three years that students have gathered for face-to-face education following extensive destruction of school facilities.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), approximately 98 percent of schools in the Gaza Strip were destroyed or damaged during the conflict with Israel. Local education authorities estimate that roughly 660,000 students have been deprived of regular classroom instruction since the war began.

The reopening represents a fragile milestone in a territory where the education sector has suffered devastating losses. Ibrahim Ramadan, the director of education for eastern Khan Younis, reported that at least 22,000 students and more than 770 education workers, including 532 teachers, have been killed.

Despite the hardships, students expressed determination to continue their studies. Moayed Abu Mustafa, a student in Khan Younis, recalled that his last visit to a school was three years prior. “Now, we are starting the school year; it is a year of joy, happiness and success,” he said. “Despite all of this, we will learn, we will learn even in a tent.” Moayed noted that he lacks proper shoes, notebooks, or pens and will sit on the floor of a sweltering temporary classroom.

Across the enclave, the Ministry of Education, supported by aid agencies, has established dozens of temporary schools constructed from tarpaulins, sheet metal, and wood. In some instances, classrooms are minimalistic setups comprising only mattresses and a blackboard, while other structures serve simultaneously as shelters for displaced families.

Samar Abu Salmi, a 15-year-old student living in a tent with her family, described the shift from remote learning to physical classrooms. “We studied on phones, and we haven’t seen our teachers. Now, we are back pursuing our dream … from one tent to another,” she said. She added that she can no longer afford school supplies that were previously inexpensive.

Economic barriers remain significant. Stationery trader Khaled Aliyan stated that Israeli import restrictions have increased the cost of school supplies fivefold. “All stationery items are expensive,” he said.

Data from the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education indicates that about 541,000 students returned to education when the new academic year began on September 19. This follows a decrease in violence after an October 2025 ceasefire agreement halted large-scale fighting, though it did not resolve the underlying conflict. In January, the ministry reported that 317,332 students were attending face-to-face educational spaces, with an additional 120,000 enrolled in virtual schools taught by instructors from the West Bank.

Israeli forces continue to control more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip. UNICEF estimates that more than 93 percent of damaged school buildings require major rehabilitation or full reconstruction.