Private Schools in Gaza: An Expensive Choice for Parents in Crisis

Palestinian families in Gaza are in a difficult situation. In the refugee camp in Deir al-Balah, Khadija Abulqadas prepares her 11-year-old daughter, Juri, for school. This family has been living in this camp since the destruction of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza last September.

Poor Educational Conditions

Juri and her 14-year-old sister, Ritaj, have classes set up in a tent at Alia School. Due to the lack of chairs and desks, the children usually study on mats and carpets, and the absence of air conditioning has made it difficult for them to concentrate.

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These children have been deprived of education for long periods since the onset of the Israel war in October 2023. The pressure of online classes due to internet access issues has added to their difficulties. Now, Juri and her two sisters attend a nearby school run by volunteer teachers, which costs 30 shekels ($8) a month. However, this amount is heavy for a family whose basic needs are not met.

Financial and Educational Challenges

Khadija, 39, says, "If I could, I would send my children to a private school." Before the war, her daughters were studying at an UNRWA school in Gaza and were performing well. But now she sees her children studying in tents and experiencing poor educational conditions.

She adds, "Even stationery is something I can hardly afford. A notebook costs between four to six shekels." This situation clearly reflects a broader educational crisis that Gaza is facing due to the war. According to published reports, about 700,000 children in Gaza have been deprived of in-person education for three years.

With 93% of schools destroyed, the conditions for studying in Gaza are worsening day by day. While private schools have better conditions, their high costs are unbearable for most parents. Zahra Saleh, 25, has enrolled her children after finding a school that she can afford. Given her husband's unemployment, paying 400 shekels ($131) a month is a significant challenge for her.

She says, "I am in a very difficult financial situation. I had to work at the school to reduce my children's education costs." The rising prices of stationery have also added to these problems, as 12 notebooks that used to cost six shekels before the war now cost four shekels.

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