How Israel Deprives Palestinian Students of Basic Education

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Tunisian state-run daily, La Presse, on Monday, September 14, citing Palestinian Education Minister Amjad Barham, reported that more than 720,000 Palestinian students have lost access to basic education amidst the ongoing Israeli bombardment.

"More than 90 percent of school buildings and 82 percent of universities in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed," Barham said at a conference on Palestinian childhood held in Tunis and organized by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), as quoted from Antara, citing Xinhua.

The minister highlighted the severe education crisis facing Palestinian children, especially in the Gaza Strip.

He also condemned the systematic targeting of educational infrastructure and noted that thousands of Israeli military checkpoints continue to restrict students' mobility. 

ALECSO Director-General Mohamed Ould Amar stressed the need for urgent regional cooperation and announced that the organization would establish a joint Arab action plan with an emergency protection mechanism.

Meanwhile, the children's rights watchdog Save the Children reported last week that over 1.5 million school-aged children across Palestine have been denied the right to a safe and quality education for a fourth consecutive year.

Meanwhile, Anadolu reported that the Israeli forces raided two schools in Nablus, the occupied West Bank, earlier this month, as the new academic year kicked off. The Israeli army threatened school administration in Huwwara Boys Secondary School south of Nablus, demanding the Palestinian flag be removed from the school.

In Gaza, students are expected to resume classes on September 19, with over 700 in-person learning sites and 25 temporary schools expected to accommodate more than 500,000 students. Online classes are available for those unable to attend in-person classes.