With a new school year beginning, millions of children around the world are returning to the classroom. In Gaza however, it is a different story. With almost all schools in Gaza damaged or destroyed, the majority of children have lost years of vital education. Islamic Relief is supporting temporary learning spaces to help them get back into class and begin to process their trauma.
“I adore teaching because it is a wonderful profession. My love for and closeness to the students and children is why I am here. I do this to protect our students from losing their future.”
Osama is an Arabic teacher working at a school in Gaza, trying his best to support his students in an impossible situation.
More than 2 years of relentless Israeli bombardment made it impossible for children to attend school. Even since a ceasefire was announced, returning to school remains a real challenge for many students, with so many families displaced, a huge number of school buildings destroyed, and ongoing violence. The situation has left an entire generation at risk as children must cope with trauma and the loss of years of vital education.
“Teaching children is a wonderful experience, but currently, it is extremely difficult.” Osama says.
“This is due to the lack of a motivating and suitable educational environment for children, especially after the aggression which destroyed the majority of schools in the Gaza Strip. The environment is currently unprepared for our children’s learning. Both teachers and students are suffering.”
Damaged infrastructure and a lack of resources
Since October 2023, 93% of schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed along with more than 90% of residential buildings.
Those schools and educational buildings left standing have often been used to house displaced people, creating further obstacles for children accessing education.
More than 637,000 children in Gaza still do not have regular access to education.
Islamic Relief is supporting temporary learning spaces, providing primary and kindergarten age children with lessons in tents.
But even when a space for learning can be found, there are still challenges meeting children’s needs.
“There are many difficulties facing us as teachers. Most importantly, the lack of textbooks and educational kits, of stationery for the majority of students, of school desks and chairs, and of charging points for phones or electronic devices that would help teachers deliver their educational message,” Osama explains.
At the time of writing, many educational materials – including pens, paper and books – are still being prohibited from entering Gaza, while teachers have to rely on unstable internet connections to deliver lessons.
A recent report from the University of Cambridge has estimated that, between the bombardment and the Covid-19 pandemic, children in Gaza have lost the equivalent of five years’ worth of education.
Every child is suffering
Most children in Gaza have experienced more than one period of violence and multiple displacements during their lifetimes. But the horror of the past two and a half years is truly unprecedented.
Mai is an English teacher and has seen firsthand what this reality has done to children.
“As a teacher, I’ve noticed a huge difference between life before the war and after. Education has been very difficult.
“Our students are suffering from significant educational loss. For example, children who were in the first grade when the war started are now technically in the third or fourth grade, yet they lack foundational skills in Arabic, English, and mathematics.”
In January 2025, UNICEF reported that nearly all of Gaza’s 1.1 million children needed mental health and psychological support for anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Osama sees his students struggling every day:
“I feel one of the most difficult situations during the [earlier] famine in Gaza, was the difficulty some students began having with their learning. Some were trying to understand class materials while suffering from emaciation and nausea.” This has severely affected teachers’ ability to deliver classes, Osama says.
Despite the huge challenges, Mai says her students are still eager to learn:
“To take a student who has lost 2 years of their education is an incredibly difficult challenge.
“What is heartening, however, is the students’ eagerness; their reception of learning has been extraordinary. They feel that so much of their lives has passed and they want to make up for it. Their motivation is truly beautiful.”
Teachers under attack
Teachers and counsellors are at the frontline of helping children cope with trauma, but they themselves are experiencing the same problems as the children they teach.
Many have lost their livelihoods, homes and lack access to basic necessities such as food, water, electricity, sanitation and medical care.
The crisis has expanded the role of teachers, with new responsibilities and increased workload.
“The number of students in our classes has changed since the aggression; daily attendance now exceeds 70 or 80 students per class, which negatively affects the delivery of the educational message,” Osama explains.
Vital support for children and teachers
Islamic Relief is working with local partners to help nearly 1,000 students continue their education at temporary learning spaces. Children attend daily lessons in subjects such as Arabic, English, maths, and science, as well as attending weekly psychosocial support sessions that aim to restore their sense of safety and stability. We have also trained primary school and kindergarten teachers.
Both Mai and Osama are teachers with the Islamic Relief project.
“The students of Palestine are our true capital.” Osama says. “If education falls, the country collapses. Our true wealth is in teaching and knowledge.
“The school represents a safe environment for these children and a sanctuary where they can express their feelings and emotions.”
Despite the demoralising situation both teachers and students find themselves in, both are showing incredible resilience in continuing to teach and learn, providing a glimmer of hope for the future.
By donating today, you can help children in Gaza access vital education. Donate today.
