In the refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Khadija Abu Qadous prepares her 11-year-old daughter, Juri, for another day at school while Israeli airstrikes and a severe financial crisis continue.
The Abu Qadous family has sought refuge in this camp since their neighborhood in Sheikh Radwan, Gaza was destroyed last September. Juri's and her 14-year-old sister, Ritaaj's classes are also set up in a tent at Alia School. There are few chairs and desks available, and children usually sit on mats and carpets. The lack of air conditioning systems makes it difficult for children to concentrate in the heat.
Educational Challenges in Crisis Conditions
Children have spent long periods without school since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023. Online classes have been challenging due to internet access issues. Now, Juri and her two sisters attend a school near the camp run by volunteer teachers, costing 30 shekels ($8) a month. Although this fee is much lower than private schools, it is difficult for a family whose basic needs, including food and water, take priority.
Khadija, 39, says, "If I could afford it, I would send them to a private school." Before the war, her daughters were studying at a UN school in Gaza City and were doing well in their education.
Situation of Private Schools
The principal of Alia School, Noura Khadr, works with limited resources and emphasizes the need for more support to continue class activities. More than 1,100 students are enrolled in this school, but there are only 40 teachers and administrative staff. Despite the challenges, demand for enrollment at this school is very high.
Zahra Saleh, 25, has enrolled her six-year-old son, Ibrahim, in the private Abdulaziz School in western Gaza. The high costs of private schools, especially considering her husband's unemployment, are challenging for Zahra. She says, "I am in a very difficult financial situation and had to work at the school to reduce my children's education costs."
An educational crisis has arisen under harsh financial conditions for almost all Palestinian families in Gaza. The costs of school supplies have risen sharply, and a notebook that previously cost 12 for 6 shekels ($1.96) is now sold for 4 shekels ($1.31) each.
Read more: Will Palestinians be forced to leave Gaza?
