Learning against all odds

When Thaer fled Gaza with his wife and four daughters, he carried the weight of survival, but also a father’s deepest worry: his daughters’ future. The war had already taken so much from them – would it now take their education too?

Thaer’s concern is shared by thousands. Since the war began, more than 14,000 school-age Palestinian children have been displaced to Egypt, facing overwhelming barriers to continuing their education. The Palestinian Ministry of Education launched a digital learning platform, allowing children outside the country to continue studying the Palestinian curriculum remotely. Yet, for the more than 6,000 Palestinian families in Egypt, accessing this service remains an uphill battle. Many cannot access the national education system because financial hardship makes securing internet and devices for online learning a distant dream. 

"For us Palestinians, education is our weapon," says Thaer. “There are children who have been out of school for more than a year now. Others, who should have started first grade, don’t even know what it’s like to be at school. It’s not just about lessons; schools are where children grow, where they learn to engage with society , where they find a sense of normalcy." 

In 2024, UNICEF and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) conducted a rapid assessment with Palestinian parents to better understand the educational challenges faced by their children.

Hala, 9, was in fourth grade in Gaza. Now, she and her sisters share their father’s mobile phone to study. "I miss many classes,” she says. “It’s hard to study because we have to take turns."

Layan, 12, longs for a complete education. "We only study the basic subjects because online classes are so limited. But there are other subjects that could help me grow."

For most Palestinian families, financial hardship is the greatest obstacle. The monthly cost of internet access – EGP 1,150 equivalent to US$23 – and digital devices for online learning are beyond their reach. And even basic school supplies, such as textbooks and other stationery, add to the burden of families already struggling to meet their children’s most fundamental needs.

But even in crisis, hope persists.

Dima, 8, loves to draw. Her voice carries the determination of a child who refuses to let war define her dreams. ”Education is a big thing — Your effort, degree, your life."

UNICEF, in partnership with the Catholic Relief Service and with support from the German Federal Foreign Office, has provided an educational cash grant to 14,000 school-age children from Gaza. This urgent support is enabling families to purchase devices, ensuring their children can continue learning while more sustainable, face-to-face learning solutions are developed.

Education is more than a classroom. It is stability and a path forward – even in the darkest times. For Thaer’s daughters and thousands like them, the right to learn is the right to hope.