jordan pulse -

The new school year for students in the Gaza Strip launched on Saturday under extraordinary conditions, following a three-year disruption caused by the war waged by the Israeli occupation on the Strip in 2023.
​The Ministry of Education and Higher Education explained that the launch of the new 2026/2027 academic year came after completing necessary arrangements and assessing the educational situation through multiple learning tracks to accommodate the circumstances of all students inside and outside the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA).
​The Ministry attributed the delay in starting the school year in Gaza to technical and logistical reasons, as well as weather conditions and high temperatures, particularly since a large portion of students will receive their education in tents and caravans.
​It noted that the educational process will be organized along two main tracks (in-person and virtual) to ensure regular schooling and continuity for students across several aspects, most notably in-person learning, which is designated for students within the Strip who are able to attend physical schools.
​The Ministry's plan in Gaza relies on expanding in-person learning by providing around 700 learning centers distributed across various areas, alongside 25 temporary schools expected to be handed over soon.
​The number of students benefiting from the educational process in the Strip reaches approximately 541,000, including about 100,000 in schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
​Parallel to in-person learning, virtual schools will continue for students unable to join learning centers, as well as for Gaza students residing outside the Strip.
​The virtual schools dedicated to Gaza students abroad serve around 20,000 students, while virtual schools within the Strip target approximately 70,000 students who cannot attend in-person classes.
​The Ministry is also preparing to launch the "eSchool" platform specifically for the Gaza Strip to coincide with the start of the academic year, enhancing communication between students and educational staff while ensuring the continuity of the learning process.
​Furthermore, remote psychological support, counseling, and first aid programs will continue, alongside technical support to address emergency issues faced by students and educators, in addition to involving students from the Strip in student activities organized by the Ministry to ensure their participation in educational and pedagogical programs.
​To support and enhance interactive learning in schools, 1,926 schools have been connected to high-speed fiber-optic internet over past months, equipping the vast majority of schools with high-efficiency internet service.
​To ensure a supportive educational environment and reliable power supply, the number of schools equipped with solar energy systems has exceeded 900, representing nearly 45 percent of schools, with work underway to equip dozens more in the near future.
​Meanwhile, around 846,000 students enrolled in West Bank schools on September 5, marking the start of the 2026/2027 academic year across 2,537 public, private, and UNRWA schools, supervised by approximately 54,000 teachers.
​Rum News Agency