UNRWA opens 130 temporary learning centers in Gaza for 47K children
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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini believes the education will "restore some hope" for children in Gaza.
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Palestinian children who fled with their parents from homes in the Ain al-Hilwe Palestinian refugee camp gather in the backyard of an UNRWA school in Saida, Lebanon, on September 12, 2023 (AP)
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) announced Saturday the opening of 130 temporary educational sites around Gaza, allowing about 47,000 students to learn in person.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that "education for children restores some hope" and "helps them heal and slowly re-connect with their childhood. It’s critical for overcoming the unspeakable traumas they are enduring.”
"More than 270,000 boys and girls have enrolled in the UNRWA education programme. They’re receiving basic learning in Arabic, English, mathematics, and science," he stated.
Lazzarini emphasized that "UNRWA remains the largest provider of emergency learning and psychosocial support in Gaza."
Despite the recent reopening of learning facilities, Lazzarini noted that considerable obstacles remain.
"We have a long way to go, however, to bring more and more children to learning," he remarked, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter.
Lazzarini emphasized that the goal is "to avert a lost generation of Palestinian children," noting that the "stakes are high" and time is of the essence.
The Israeli war on Gaza has devastated the future of Palestinian children, stripping them of access to education and stability.
With over 660,000 children out of school and 85% of educational facilities inoperable, the prospects for their education and careers looked grim. The destruction of schools and the loss of over 800 education workers further hinder any chance of rebuilding their academic lives.
As these children grapple with unimaginable loss, including over 38,000 newly orphaned, the path to a brighter future seems increasingly out of reach.
Grim reality
The 625,000 students who were enrolled in Gaza as of July 30, 2024, have all missed a whole academic year. For the first time in many years, 39,000 pupils did not attend the official high-school evaluation exams for the 12th grade, according to a situation report by Relief Web.
Most of them might never go back to school again, and none of them can transfer to higher education.
When schools aren't being destroyed, instead of being filled with eager students, they house displaced families who are frantic for protection.
Classrooms and hallways are piled with mattresses and blankets; tables are transformed into wardrobes and walls; and playgrounds are carpeted with tents and tarpaulins, which severely taxes the few available wash facilities.
In addition, overcrowded conditions lead to an unclean atmosphere, the quick spread of illness, higher risks of injury from lack of privacy, and damage to equipment and furnishings.
The psychological and mental health of children, educators, and caregivers have all suffered greatly as a result of these circumstances, which have also seriously harmed kids' ability to exercise their right to an education.
