Nearly 625,000 children in the enclave lost an entire school year following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups on communities in southern Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.
There are currently more than 45,000 six-year-olds preparing to enter first grade, increasing the risk of missing out on a second year of education, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).UNICEF) speak.
‘Bright future is under threat’
“Children in the Gaza Strip have lost their homes, relatives, friends, safety and daily routines,Adele Khodr, the agency’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said.
“They also lost the shelter and stimulation that school provided, putting their bright future at risk of being overshadowed by this terrible conflict.”
The war has had a severe impact on educational infrastructure. Many schools have been converted into shelters for displaced people, including those run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), has been damaged or destroyed.
No graduation
With all schools closed since October last year, there were no graduations in the Strip – the first such event in decades, UNICEF noted. About 39,000 students missed their final year of school and were unable to sit for the Tawjihi exams.
For older children, the disruption goes beyond lost learning opportunities.
Without education, young people are at high risk of exploitation, child labour, early marriage and other forms of abuse. The agency said the most important thing is that they are at risk of dropping out of school permanently.
For young children, being out of school threatens their cognitive, social and emotional development. Parents report significant impacts on their children’s mental health and psychosocial well-being, including increased feelings of frustration and isolation.
Situation in the West Bank
Children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are also affected as the new school year begins. Increased violence and travel restrictions since October 2023 have created new learning barriers for the 782,000 students there.according to UNICEF.
It notes data from the Ministry of Education and humanitarian partners that on any given day since October, Between 8 and 20 percent of schools in the West Bank have closed..
Even when schools are not closed, fear of violence, travel restrictions and mental health concerns have kept many students out of school, leading to further learning loss.
Start learning again
In response to this situation in the Gaza Strip, UNICEF and partners have established 39 temporary learning spaces in the areaServing more than 12,400 students, Ag also provides recreational activities, emergency learning kits, and mental health and psychosocial supports (MHPSS) to children, youth, caregivers, and teachers at shelters.
“We must find ways to restart learning and rebuild schools to protect the right to education of the next generations in the State of Palestine,” said Ms. Khodr.
“Children need stability to cope with the trauma they have experienced, as well as the opportunity to grow and reach their full potential.”
A child receives a polio vaccine in Gaza.
Vaccination campaign continues
Meanwhile, the United Nations and humanitarian partners concluded the second phase of a polio vaccination campaign in southern Gaza on Sunday.
According to to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 256,000 children in Khan Younis and Rafah were reached in four days.
The first round of the campaign is now nearly 70 percent complete, with more than 446,000 children vaccinated out of the 640,000 vaccinated in this first round. The second round is expected to begin in four weeks.
The final phase of this first round is expected to begin on Tuesday in northern Gaza.
Evacuation orders exacerbate crisis
However, the Office said the new Israeli evacuation order was issued for several areas in the north including those that had agreed to suspend polio vaccination.
According to initial assessments by humanitarian partners, some 5,000 displaced people sheltering in seven collective centres, mainly schools, are among those affected by the order.
OCHA warns that continued evacuation orders are worsening the humanitarian crisis for hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza.
As of Monday, more than 55 evacuation orders remained in effect, covering up to 86 percent of the Las Vegas Strip.
