Children and Teachers in Gaza Struggle to Survive Without Schools for a Second Year
Nearly 97 per cent of schools in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged in Israeli attacks, leaving around 600,000 children without access to formal education for two years. As they enter a third year without schooling, their lives, dreams and futures remain suspended in uncertainty. Students and teachers describe what it means to keep the spirit of education alive amid the devastation of war.
Twelve-year-old Juwayriya Adwan was a fifth-grade pupil when the war began. Her school was bombed and reduced to rubble, her books were burnt, and some of her friends were killed. She now lives with her family in a tent camp in Khan Younis, attending short lessons organised by volunteers. She dreams of becoming a journalist one day and giving a voice to the children of Gaza.
In the El-Bureij camp, teacher Naglaa Weshah continues to teach despite her school being destroyed. Many of her students have lost their lives, while the survivors struggle with hunger, poverty and fear. Yet Weshah says they have not lost their desire to learn: “Education has become a form of resistance. We are still here, and we keep teaching to show that we exist.”
In Gaza, education is no longer merely about transferring knowledge – it has become an act of resistance and survival. Amid the ruins, children and teachers continue to stress the same message: “Education is not a luxury, it is a basic right.”