Palestinian educational infrastructure and school year

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education has organized the 2026/2027 academic year with significant differences between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip due to conflict-related damage.

In the West Bank, the school year has commenced with approximately 846,000 students enrolling across 2,537 government, private, and UNRWA schools, supported by roughly 54,000 teachers. The start of the year was marked by security incidents, including Israeli military raids on schools in Nablus and delays in school start times in Tubas caused by military presence.

In the Gaza Strip, the educational process is scheduled to begin with administrative staff on September 16, followed by students on September 19. To accommodate roughly 541,000 students, authorities are preparing 700 in-person learning points and 25 temporary schools, alongside virtual learning options. Education Minister Amjad Barham emphasized a commitment to education despite facility destruction, noting the implementation of “challenge schools” in remote and Bedouin areas.

The ministry is also implementing infrastructure projects, including the construction of 17 academic schools and various classrooms and vocational facilities. The estimated investment for these capacity-building and environment-improvement projects has risen to over $26 million.