Back to School in Gaza: Learning and Mental Health Go Hand in Hand
Children in Gaza are returning to learning after years of disruption, loss and devastation, carrying with them the hope of being back in a classroom, reconnecting with friends and continuing their education.
A chance to learn and hope and grow
After three years without regular formal in-person education, more children in Gaza are finally returning to class. This return to learning is not what education should look like: nearly 98 percent of Gaza's school buildings have been damaged or destroyed. But it is a moment of hope.
This fall, UNICEF is bringing 350,000 children back to learning in more than 200 learning centers in the Gaza Strip. One of the biggest schools is a complex of 20 specialized learning tents in Gaza City, where 4,000 students attend in rotating shifts, coming three times a week to join their classmates in an accelerated learning program.
It's all part of UNICEF's learning scale-up in Gaza, one of the largest emergency education efforts in the world.
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Being in school supports children's mental health and resilience
Nearly every single child in Gaza has been displaced, most more than once. Despite a nominal ceasefire agreement, children are still waiting for an end to the violence. The systems families rely on for survival — health care, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene — have been decimated. Malnutrition and trauma continue to shape every aspect of childhood.
For children who have lived through so much horror, school plays a vital role in supporting their mental health and well-being. Despite the ongoing insecurity and extremely challenging living conditions, being in class provides children with some routine and stability. A time to not only learn but also reconnect with friends, engage with teachers and have some fun through structured activities.
Being in a classroom setting also provides an opportunity to support children with more integrated care. UNICEF-supported learning centers enable children to access both learning and healing activities, with a focus on reducing learning loss and improving psychosocial well-being and resilience.
Learn more about mental health support for children in Gaza
Every child has the right to a safe and healthy childhood
Despite everything they have experienced, Gaza's children are excited and happy to be back in class, where they can feel a sense of safety and the promise of brighter days ahead.
"This is my first day of school," said 10-year-old Rahaf. "I want to make new friends. I love science and English classes."
"When we arrived this morning, they gave us chocolates, and we played together," added Habiba, 8.
“I really want to make friends, and see who will teach us, and learn and explore — all of that," said Maryam, 10. “I missed reading and writing, and I missed being at school.”
Related: Building a Child-Centered Recovery in Gaza
Help every child thrive
Of the roughly 700,000 school-age children in Gaza, more than 500,000 are attending temporary learning spaces across Gaza this fall. An estimated 200,000 children are still not accessing any structured learning.
For every child, the opportunity to learn is a step towards hope, recovery and a better future.
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Learn more about how UNICEF supports children in Gaza
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
