Gaza Students Return to Tent Schools After Years of War and Disruption

Children across Gaza have returned to formal face-to-face education after nearly three years of severe disruption caused by the ongoing conflict. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, about 541,000 students enrolled as the new school year began following a decrease in violence after the October 2025 ceasefire. However, with nearly all of the enclave's school buildings damaged, destroyed, or serving as shelters for displaced families, lessons are largely taking place inside temporary tents with scarce resources.

In Gaza City, parents like 30-year-old Rana Totah walked their children to newly established temporary learning spaces on Saturday morning. Totah, who was displaced from the Zeitoun neighbourhood to al-Katiba, described the milestone as a long-awaited return to routine for her family. During the war, her children's education was heavily interrupted as survival took precedence, with children often tasked with fetching water and securing daily necessities.

According to UNICEF, nearly 98 percent of school buildings in Gaza have sustained damage since October 2023, with more than 93 percent requiring major rehabilitation or full reconstruction. Approximately 700,000 children aged four to 17 missed formal schooling for almost three consecutive school years, with about 420,000 having no face-to-face learning at all prior to the recent resumption.

Inside a makeshift tent in western Gaza City, mathematics teacher Nesma Nahid Abu Asim instructed sixth-grade students who sat on mattresses with notebooks on their laps. Abu Asim, who has taught since 2010 and now works through a UNICEF-supported education programme, highlighted the immense daily hurdles faced by both educators and pupils.

"Students arrive without basic stationery or textbooks, while tables and chairs are largely unavailable," Abu Asim told Al Jazeera, noting that children study amidst ongoing security risks and a persistent siege. Despite the hardships, she emphasized that the primary goal is ensuring education does not stop again.

Conditions remain critical at other makeshift facilities, such as the Ahbab Shujayea School near Gaza City's port area. The facility serves more than 300 students from nine surrounding displacement camps, operating with shortened hours from 8:00 am to 11:00 am due to security concerns including maritime shelling.

The school's director, Inaam al-Batreekhi, noted that students lack desks, chairs, notebooks, and pencils, often sitting on the ground and using cardboard for writing. Palestinian authorities reported this month that shipments of school bags and stationery from UNICEF have been prevented from entering the enclave under the ongoing blockade.

Despite the lack of infrastructure, students expressed determination to resume their studies. Eleven-year-old Osama Alayleh shared his excitement about returning to class, stating that while he would prefer a regular classroom with proper furniture, focusing on his studies remains his top priority for the year.

Educators and parents alike hope that the current temporary tent classrooms will eventually be replaced by safe, permanent school buildings, allowing children to learn in environments with proper facilities and protection from impending weather challenges like winter rains.