RismadarVoice Reporters
September 21, 2026
Children in Gaza have begun returning to in-person learning, many of them in damaged school buildings and amid severe shortages of basic educational materials.
The return to classrooms marks an effort to restore formal education for children whose schooling has faced prolonged disruption during the conflict.
However, the physical condition of Gaza’s education system remains a major challenge. UNICEF says 98 per cent of schools across the territory have either been damaged or destroyed.
For many families, obtaining even basic classroom supplies has also become difficult, with notebooks, pens and other learning materials reportedly unaffordable for some households.
The situation means children returning to face-to-face education are doing so under significantly constrained conditions, with damaged facilities and limited access to essential school materials.
Schools in Gaza have suffered extensive damage during the conflict, while displacement and insecurity have repeatedly interrupted education for children across the territory.
The resumption of in-person classes is part of efforts to restore access to education, but the extent of damage to school infrastructure means rebuilding the sector remains a significant challenge.
UNICEF and other humanitarian organisations have repeatedly stressed the importance of restoring safe and sustained access to education for children affected by the conflict.
