There was a fairness of education in Gaza. Now the genocide wiping it | Education

Palestinians were always eager to learn. During the Ottoman period, Palestinian students went to Beirut to study Istanbul, Cairo and Beirut. Palestinian farmers in front of the colonial policy aimed at the ignorance of the local population during the English mandate, set up their schools in the countryside.

Then Nakba came and the occupation and displacement brought a new pain to take a completely different level of Palestinian education. Education became a place where Palestinians could feel the existence of the Palestinians, which became a place that makes them dream of their rights and a better future dream. Education was hoping.

In Gaza, instruction was one of the first social services established in refugee camps. Students will sit on the sand in front of a board to learn. Communities did everything they could provide for all children, regardless of the level of education. The first institution of higher education in Gaza – Islamic University – spent their first lectures in tents; Its founders did not expect the building to be erected.

I remember, like a child, I would see the alley of our neighborhood of our neighborhood every morning. All families sent their children to school.

When I reached the age of the university, I saw the same picture: the crowd of students dreams of a bright future together with universities and college.

This was followed by this ruthless education, for decades to stop in October 2023. The Israeli army not only bombed schools and universities and set fire to books. He destroyed one of the most vital pillars of Palestinian education: Education Justice.

Availability of all of the study

Prior to the genocide, the education sector in Gaza is developing. Despite the occupation and siege, we reached 97 percent of the highest literacy degrees in the world. The adoption rate in secondary education was 90 percent and admission in higher education was 45 percent.

One of the main reasons for this success was to be completely free in the primary and secondary stages of education in Gaza. Government and UNBWA-Run schools were open to all Palestinian children by providing equal opportunities for everyone.

Textbooks were distributed for free and families received support to buy bags, laptops, pens and school clothes.

The Ministry of Education also had many programs that will support talented students in various fields, regardless of the economic situation of UNBO and other institutions. Runs regularly, sports events and technology programs were organized.

At the university level, significant efforts were made to study higher education. There were symbolic fees, a major university who accused the seven private universities with a moderately high level (depending on college and major) and the average of five universities. A vocational college associated with UNBA in Gaza also had a vocational colleges offered by free education.

Universities gave generous scholarships to prominent and unfavorable students.

The Ministry of Education also offered internal and foreign scholarships in cooperation with several countries and international universities. There was a higher education credit fund to pay for the tuition.

It was simply accessible to all those who studied before the genocide in Gaza.

The cost of education in genocide

Since October 2023, the Zionist war truck systematically targeted schools, universities and educational infrastructure. According to UN statistics, 496 – about 88 percent of 564 schools – damaged or destroyed. In addition, all universities and colleges in Gaza were destroyed. More than 645,000 students were deprived of classrooms and violated 90,000 university students.

Education and university education process while continuing in the genocide, tried to continue the education process for schoolchildren and online courses for university students.

Young volunteers were founded in the displacement camps in which children were free to children, tent schools were established. University professors used online teaching tools such as Google Classroom, Zoom-in, WhatsApp groups and telegram channels.

Despite these efforts, the lack of regular education has created an important space in the education process. Continuous bombing and compulsory displacement orders were constantly participated in the Israeli occupation. The lack of resources is also designed for tent schools to be instructed.

As a result, paid teaching centers have emerged, private lessons and students offer individual attention to students. In an average, a central monthly a month in a month, a monthly amount of money reaches $ 240 in Gaza – the most families in Gaza cannot afford a sum.

In the higher education sector, the value is also essential. After the first online semester for free, universities began to pay for students to pay the units of education to continue their distance education.

Online education also requires a tablet or computer, fixed internet and electricity. Most students who lost their devices due to a bomb or displacement may not receive a new one for high prices. Introduction to special “fields”, access to a stable Internet and electricity may cost up to $ 5 per hour.

All this caused many students due to the lack of being able to pay. I could not complete the last semester of my degree.

The collapse of educational justice

One year and a half genocide was enough to destroy what decades in Gaza: the justice of education. Previously, the social class was not an obstacle to continue the education of students, but today the poor were behind.

Very few families can continue to raise their children. Some families are forced to make difficult decisions: older children are trying to finance youth education or to work to allow only the most prominent child to continue to learn and deprive others.

Then there are extremely poor people who can not send any of their children to school. Living for them is a priority. During the genocide, this group came to represent a large part of society.

The catastrophic economic situation forced to work instead of going to school in families who lost their countless schools, especially their bakers. I see this painful reality every time I go out of my tent.

The streets are full of children selling various goods; Many are exploited to sell things like smoking for a salary affordable for a wage suitable by war profiters.

Small children make to ask if they can beg them and follow those who passes through.

When I see the children, I feel hopeless, kidnapped in school a year and a half ago, laughs and plays the sun or cold to win a few shekels to sell or get a cold food.

Education for Gaza students was never anything other than receiving an academic certificate or an official document. He was about optimism and courage, this was a chance to resist the occupation of Israel and to produce their families from poverty and improve their situation. Education was life and hope.

Today, this hope was killed and buried by Israeli bombs.

Now we find ourselves in a dangerous situation, where the gap between good deeds and the poor is the risk of learning and thinking of all generations and the risk of losing his identity and the risk of losing its identity.

What happened in Gaza is not only a temporary educational crisis, but also a deliberate campaign to destroy equality opportunities and create an unbalanced society.

Architects of the ongoing genocide are confident in the success of the “Volunteer Transfer” strategy, we are confident in the success of the “Volunteer Transfer” strategy – Palestinians disappoint their lands to leave their lands voluntarily.

But the Palestinian people still refuse to leave their land. They are patient. Even the most sensitive children do not give up. I often think of the words I hear from the conversation between two children’s sellers during the last holiday. One said, “There is no joy on Eid al-Adha.” The other replied, “This is the best holiday. We did not leave it because we are in Gaza and we want Netanyahu.”

Indeed, we are still in Gaza, we did not leave Israel as he wants us, and we will be re-established as our ancestors and elders.

The views shown in this article are unique and definitely reflect the editorial position of Gazir.