- UNRWA launches online education program to reach nearly 300,000 children in Gaza amid one of the region’s worst humanitarian crises.
- Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says over 25,000 students are already enrolled in 'Temporary Learning Spaces' as part of the agency’s 'Back to Learning' initiative.
- Despite destroyed schools and resource shortages, UNRWA teachers continue to provide education and emotional support, keeping hope and learning alive for Gaza’s displaced children.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has started an education initiative on the web to educate almost 300,000 children in the Gaza Strip during one of the most difficult humanitarian emergencies in the history of the region. Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini announced that the agency has started delivering online classes as part of its mission to maintain education for Palestinian children whose lives have been affected by the conflict and displacement.
The program is a major boost to UNRWA's 'Back to Learning' initiative, which combines home learning with face-to-face instruction to ensure that children are still learning despite the disruptions wreaked by the conflict. Lazzarini said that this strategy is being rolled out under very challenging conditions, with schools destroyed or damaged and numerous families forced to flee. He indicated that more than 25,000 children have already signed up for UNRWA's 'Temporary Learning Spaces', temporary buildings which permit education to go on in secure environments.
The agency aims to gradually expand the number of such learning centers in order to serve more students and to bring stability and order into their daily routines. 'Education and literacy are an antidote to despair and trauma', Lazzarini explained, emphasizing the significance of sustaining school activities for children who have suffered the psychological and emotional impacts of war.
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The Commissioner-General commended the relentless dedication of UNRWA teachers and staff, many who are personally impacted by the crisis but continue to teach, mentor, and inspire students. Their commitment, he added, shows the resilience and zeal that characterize UNRWA's work under the most challenging circumstances. In the face of resource shortages, fuel shortages, and lack of access to safe areas, these teachers remain resolute in working to bring a sense of normalcy and hope to children in Gaza.
Lazzarini also noted that education is at the heart of UNRWA's humanitarian and development mandate, an expression not just of every child's right but a vital investment in Palestinian communities' future. By maintaining its education programme, both on-line and on-site, the agency has sought to keep open opportunities for learning, skill development, and emotional healing.
The program is part of UNRWA's overall strategy to evolve its operations to suit new realities while ensuring continuity of key services. Despite the agency's financial limitations and logistical challenges, it continues to ensure that education is available for Palestinian refugees. Lazzarini again emphasized that maintaining opportunities for learning in times like these is a crucial act of resilience and resistance against despair, making sure that Gaza's future generation keeps on dreaming, learning, and rebuilding their future despite the adversity around them.
