Gaza Students Resume Classes in Makeshift Tents

In the dusty fields of western Gaza City, a routine that many families had lost for nearly three years has quietly resumed. For Rana Totah, walking her two sons to school in the al-Katiba neighborhood on Saturday morning was not merely the start of an academic term; it was a symbolic return to a semblance of normal family life. The classroom, however, is far from conventional. It consists of a row of white canvas tents set up in an open area, serving as a temporary substitute for the destroyed school buildings that once stood there.

According to Al Jazeera English, this shift represents a cautious step forward after a prolonged period of displacement and educational disruption. Totah described the morning as feeling like a holiday, noting that she prepared her children with the same care she would for a significant celebration. The tent-based setup, comprising approximately ten structures, reflects the broader reality in the enclave where physical infrastructure has been severely compromised, forcing educators and families to adapt to starkly limited resources.

Fragile Return to Formal Learning

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education reports that approximately 541,000 students have returned to some form of education as the new school year began on September 19. This figure follows a partial decline in violence associated with a ceasefire agreement in October 2025. However, the ministry notes that while face-to-face attendance has increased, it remains below pre-conflict levels. In January, official figures indicated that 317,332 students were attending physical educational spaces, while another 120,000 were enrolled in virtual programs led by teachers based in the West Bank.

Despite the reported decrease in hostilities, the safety of students remains a critical concern. Israeli military operations have continued, resulting in the deaths of two students earlier this month. These incidents underscore the precarious nature of the current learning environment. Education officials and international observers emphasize that while the return to classrooms is a significant milestone, it occurs within a context of ongoing instability and severe material shortages.

Scale of Infrastructure Damage

The physical landscape of education in Gaza has been fundamentally altered. According to UNICEF, nearly 98 percent of school buildings in the territory have suffered damage since October 2023. Of these structures, more than 93 percent require major rehabilitation or complete reconstruction. This widespread destruction has left many children without access to formal schooling for almost three consecutive academic years. Estimates suggest that around 700,000 children between the ages of four and 17 have missed face-to-face education, with approximately 420,000 having no access to such learning at all during this period.

In the immediate term, teachers are utilizing whatever materials are available to continue instruction. In one of the tents in al-Katiba, a mathematics teacher named Nesma Nahid Abu Asim was observed teaching sixth-grade students. The students sat on mattresses with notebooks in their laps while the instructor wrote on a whiteboard. This scene illustrates the adaptive measures being taken to maintain educational continuity despite the absence of standard furniture, textbooks, and stable infrastructure.

Prioritizing Survival Over Studies

For many families, the decision to prioritize education over immediate survival needs has been a difficult balancing act. Rana Totah recalled periods when her children were forced to take on essential household tasks, such as fetching water, due to the scarcity of resources. She described pleading with them to focus on their studies, emphasizing that education is the foundation of life. During the most intense phases of displacement, including time spent in Khan Younis, attendance at informal learning initiatives was irregular, as the daily struggle for safety and basic necessities took precedence.

As the academic year progresses, the focus shifts to sustaining this fragile progress. The success of these temporary setups will depend on the durability of the ceasefire and the availability of resources for reconstruction. For now, the white tents in the dusty fields serve as a reminder of both the resilience of the students and the significant distance that still remains before education in Gaza can be considered fully restored.