Gaza’s UNRWA schools are classrooms by day, displacement shelters at night – Al Jazeera

Report on the State of Education in Gaza and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

1. Executive Summary

This report details the severe disruption to the education system in Gaza following the conflict that began in October 2023. The destruction of educational infrastructure and the displacement of populations have critically undermined progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably SDG 4 (Quality Education). The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is initiating efforts to restore educational services amidst significant challenges, including damaged facilities and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. The resumption of learning is a critical first step in addressing the long-term impacts on child well-being (SDG 3) and rebuilding resilient communities (SDG 11) in a post-conflict environment.

2. Impact on SDG 4: Quality Education

The conflict has created a profound educational crisis, directly contravening the objectives of SDG 4. The primary impacts include:

• Educational Deprivation: Approximately 300,000 students enrolled in UNRWA schools have been deprived of formal education since the onset of hostilities.
• Infrastructure Destruction: An estimated 97 percent of UNRWA school buildings have sustained damage or been destroyed, eliminating safe learning environments.
• Learning Discontinuity: Students report significant learning loss, with one fourth-grade student noting a two-year gap in her education, stating, “I feel like I know nothing.”
• Inadequate Learning Conditions: The lack of basic resources is acute, with students using mattresses for seating in makeshift classrooms.

3. UNRWA’s Strategic Response to Restore Educational Services

In response to the crisis, UNRWA has outlined a phased approach to re-establish educational activities, demonstrating a commitment to SDG 4 and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

1. Establishment of Temporary Learning Spaces: UNRWA is creating “temporary safe learning spaces” to resume face-to-face instruction.
2. Initial Target for In-Person Education: The immediate goal is to provide in-person education for over 62,000 students.
3. Planned Expansion: The program is set to expand across 67 schools currently serving as shelters for displaced families.
4. Continuation of Remote Learning: To ensure continuity, online learning platforms remain active for the 300,000 students affected.

4. Interconnected Challenges to Sustainable Development

The educational crisis is intrinsically linked to broader developmental challenges, highlighting the indivisible nature of the SDGs.

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The conflict is the root cause of the institutional collapse of the education system. The use of schools as shelters underscores the breakdown of peace and security.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The psychological toll on children is severe, with reports indicating that over 80 percent exhibit symptoms of severe trauma. UNICEF estimates that over 64,000 children have been killed or injured, representing a grave threat to child health and well-being.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The widespread destruction of infrastructure, including schools and homes, severely hampers the goal of creating safe and resilient communities. The community’s effort to vacate shelters for classes demonstrates a grassroots commitment to rebuilding social fabric.
• SDG 1 (No Poverty): The prolonged interruption of education threatens to create a lost generation, jeopardizing future economic opportunities and potentially entrenching long-term poverty cycles.

5. Conclusion: Education as a Foundation for Recovery

The efforts to reopen schools in Gaza are fundamental to mitigating the long-term consequences of the conflict. Restoring access to education is not only a direct action towards SDG 4 but is also a critical component for achieving SDG 3 by providing psychosocial support and a sense of normalcy, and for laying the groundwork for SDG 16 by rebuilding key social institutions. The community’s prioritization of learning, even amidst displacement, underscores the vital role of education in fostering hope and resilience. Sustained international partnership and a stable peace are imperative for rebuilding the educational infrastructure and ensuring that the children of Gaza can reclaim their right to a quality education and a sustainable future.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education – The article’s primary focus is on the disruption of education for children in Gaza, the destruction of schools, and efforts to resume learning.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The context of the article is a war that has led to violence, death, and the breakdown of essential services, directly undermining peace and security.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The article mentions the severe psychological trauma and the high number of children killed or injured, which are critical health and well-being issues.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The text describes the widespread destruction of infrastructure, including homes, hospitals, and schools, and the displacement of families, which relates to making cities and human settlements safe and resilient.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.1: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education…” The article directly addresses this target by stating that “more than 300,000 UNRWA students have been deprived of a formal education.” The testimony of a student, Inam al-Maghari, who “didn’t complete my second and third grades,” further illustrates the failure to meet this target due to the conflict.
• Target 4.a: “Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.” This target is relevant as the article reports that “97 percent of the agency’s school buildings have been damaged or destroyed.” Furthermore, the learning environment is described as unsafe and inadequate, with students bringing “mattresses instead of desks to sit and study” in schools that are also being used as shelters for displaced families.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.1: “Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.” The article highlights the ongoing “relentless Israeli war and devastation” and “ongoing Israeli bombardment.” The mention by UNICEF that “more than 64,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza” is a direct measure of the failure to achieve this target.
• Target 16.2: “End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.” The immense toll on children, described as “the daily horrors of surviving in the world’s most dangerous place to be a child,” and the resulting “wounds of fear, loss and grief” directly relate to protecting children from violence and its consequences.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article connects to the overall goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being, particularly concerning mental health. Psychologists have warned that “more than 80 percent of them [children] now show symptoms of severe trauma.” This points to a critical mental health crisis among children, a key component of well-being.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.5: “By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected… caused by disasters…” The war is presented as a man-made disaster that has destroyed the “Palestinian enclave’s fabric of daily life: Homes, hospitals and schools.” The article also notes that schools are being used as “shelters by hundreds of displaced families,” indicating a large number of people affected and displaced by the destruction.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

• Number of students deprived of formal education: 300,000.
• Proportion of schools damaged or destroyed: 97 percent.
• Number of students UNRWA aims to provide with face-to-face education in temporary spaces: more than 62,000.
• Number of schools being used as shelters where learning activities are being expanded: 67.

Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

• Number of children killed or injured: more than 64,000.

Indicators for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

• Proportion of children showing symptoms of severe trauma: more than 80 percent.

Indicators for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

• Types of infrastructure destroyed: Homes, hospitals, and schools.
• Evidence of displacement: Hundreds of displaced families using schools as shelters.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: aljazeera.com