East Jerusalem students face shift to Israeli curriculum

Approximately 45,000 Palestinian students in East Jerusalem are set to study according to the Israeli curriculum during the 2026/2027 academic year. This figure represents roughly 38% of the 120,000 students in the region.

According to Ma'rouf al-Rifai, spokesperson for the Jerusalem Governorate, the move involves 39,363 students in 105 municipal schools and 5,085 students in recognized or unofficial institutions. The policy specifically targets new students entering the first and seventh grades.

Data indicates a significant increase in the number of students using the Israeli curriculum, rising from approximately 10,347 in the 2020/2021 academic year to an expected 45,000 in 2026/2027. Officials have characterized this as a systematic attempt to undermine Palestinian national identity and culture through educational pressure and the seizure of UNRWA educational complexes in areas such as Shuafat and Kafr Aqab.