Published On 18/10/2025
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Last update: 21:24 (Mecca time)
During the past two years, education in all its forms stopped in the Gaza Strip after Israel destroyed more than 95% of the schools and colleges in the Strip, and what remained of them was turned into centers to shelter the displaced.
With the cessation of the war, those in charge of education quickly began working to provide conditions that would allow students to resume studies at various levels, including the university level, by relying primarily on distance education.
The sector suffered huge losses in individuals and institutions, as the spokesman for the Ministry of Education in the sector, Magdi Barhoum, confirmed the loss of 30 entire schools, including students, teachers and employees.
In a window allocated by Al Jazeera to review the educational situation after the war, Barhoum said that more than 19,000 students in the basic education stage (from the first grade of primary school to the third grade of secondary school) had died.
More than 900 teachers and administrators were also martyred or missing, in addition to thousands of wounded, and dozens of imprisoned school workers and students, according to the spokesman.
More than 95% of the schools in the Gaza Strip were completely out of service due to complete destruction or severe damage as a result of Israeli targeting, while the remaining 5% were turned into centers to shelter the displaced.
Israel completely demolished 160 schools, causing – according to Barhoum – the deprivation of 650,000 male and female students from enrolling in schools for two full years.
In addition, these students were exposed to psychological trauma – due to the loss of fathers, mothers, brothers and friends – which the speaker confirmed will affect them in the future.
To overcome this crisis, the Ministry of Education held high school exams online, and Barhoum confirmed that their results exceeded expectations in light of the war.
The generation-breaking battle
Those in charge of education are trying to win what Barhoum described as the battle of “breaking the generation” by implementing emergency alternatives that included establishing educational points in displacement tents to provide education services, and tens of thousands of students have joined them to continue education, despite the harsh conditions.
Distance education was also provided through specific platforms for those who can deal with it, and a few days ago it was announced that two virtual schools would be established for those who were unable to study during the past two years as a matter of equal opportunities, according to the spokesman.
The situation of universities was not better than that of schools, as the Dean of the College of Media and Communication in Gaza, Hatem Al-Assouli, confirmed that the educational process was targeted at all levels.
During this war, Israel targeted all universities in the Gaza Strip, but Al-Assouli confirmed that those in charge of the colleges tried to complete studies by activating e-learning.
During the past two years, the University of Gaza worked to compensate for what students lost due to the war, according to Al-Assouli, who confirmed that the students participated fully during the current academic year after they were able to make up for what was lost during the war.
Distance education cannot be compared to regular education in classrooms, but sector officials are trying to save what can be saved, after Israel deliberately killed many scientists and academics, as Al-Assouli said.
The Dean of the College of Information considered that the sector has achieved an achievement despite all these circumstances, which is the completion of secondary school studies, as all universities are preparing to receive students in the new academic year in line with the conditions of war, as university education will be provided free of charge during the first semester.