The ongoing conflict in Gaza has devastated the education system and deprived hundreds of thousands of children and young people of one of their most fundamental rights: the right to education. According to UNICEF, more than 97% of schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, while nearly 92% of educational facilities require major rehabilitation or complete reconstruction before they can function again. As a result, most of Gaza’s approximately 658 000 school-age children have had only limited or no access to face-to-face learning for more than two academic years.
The consequences extend far beyond the loss of classrooms. Children have experienced repeated displacement, the loss of family members, psychological trauma, food insecurity and the destruction of their communities. UNICEF reports that education in Gaza has been almost entirely disrupted, depriving children not only of learning opportunities but also of the stability, social interaction and protection that schools provide.
Yet amid these extraordinary challenges, Gazan educators continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience. Despite losing loved ones, homes and access to basic resources, many teachers have found innovative ways to continue supporting their students through temporary learning centres, adaptive learning approaches, and trauma-informed teaching methods.
The collapse of the education system in Gaza is not only a humanitarian concern. The United Nations warns of the risk of a “lost generation” deprived of the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to rebuild their communities and contribute to lasting peace and development.
The Parliamentary Assembly should examine how the right to education can be protected during armed conflict, discuss safeguards and support for students, teachers, and educational institutions, and consider effective ways of ensuring continuity of learning for displaced and traumatised children, and the urgent need for stronger international action to uphold education as a fundamental human right.