Gaza students take exams for the first time since the war began in October 2023
Hundreds of Palestinian students in Gaza are undergoing a crucial dean exam organized by the Ministry of Education of the besieged enclave, hoping to enter university studies.
Earlier this month, the ministry announced Saturday’s exams, which will be the first since the Israeli attack on Israel led by Hamas in October 2023 began a genocide war against Gaza.
The ministry confirmed that approximately 1,500 students are registering for the exam, which will be conducted electronically using professional software, adding that all necessary technical preparations have been made to ensure smooth management.
Some students take online exams at home, while others consider security considerations based on their area, taking into account the daily Israeli bombing.
Deir El-Balah reported that Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum stressed that for Palestinian students, the exam is a key portal to the future beyond higher education, scholarships and Israeli lockdown.
“Even in a war zone without classrooms, books, and almost no internet, students in Gaza appeared, logged in and took their final exams, refusing to let the war eliminate their future,” he said.
After the war began, many students in Gaza’s education had been accepted catchthe results of Saturday’s exams will allow them to continue studying in college.
Until now, many people should be in college, but due to the war, due to Israeli attacks already exist Destroyed Gaza’s education system, as well as the rest of the civilian infrastructure in the territory.
In response, the Gaza Ministry of Education has launched an online platform – the first in Gaza to enable high school students to take their final exams.
“Students have downloaded the app to take the exam, but they face many challenges,” Morad al-Agha, director of the examinations at the Gaza Central Director, told Al Jazeera.
“We have raised these concerns with the ministries to ensure they solve the problem so that students can sit on the exam without interruption.”
‘It’s so difficult’
Students can log in from cafes, tents and shelters – wherever they can find live equipment and work internet connections.
Before the final exam, they had completed mock tests, which were designed not only to test their knowledge, but also to test the stability of the system.
However, students told Al Jazeera that digitalization in Gaza is not easy.
“We are taking the exam online, but it’s so difficult,” student Doha Khatab said. “The internet is weak, and many of us don’t have equipment and there’s no safe space to test. We also lost books in the bombing.”
To support them, some teachers reopened the damaged classrooms and provided in-person guidance.
“This is the first time the ministry has done this online and the students are confused, so we try to guide them step by step,” teacher Enam Abu Slisa told Al Jazeera.
According to the United Nations, the war in Gaza and the destruction of 95% of the educational infrastructure have graduated 660,000 children – almost all of Gaza’s school-age population is left.
Many previously unoperated schools are now used as shelter for displaced people and are facing ruthless deadly Israeli attacks.
A report to the UN Human Rights Council found that Israeli forces systematically undermined educational infrastructure in Gaza. The report describes the actions as potential war crimes.
