1.2 Million Palestinians Start New School Year

areej_madhoun_unrwa — Areej El Madhoun, a student at UNRWA’s school in Jabalia camp. (Photo: via UNRWA)

1.2 Million Palestinian students started their new school year today in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Sabry Saidam said his Ministry has finished preparations to launch the new school year, noting that of the 1,192,808 students, 693.165 are from the West Bank, and 499,643 from the Gaza Strip.

In #Palestine preparations are under way for the new school year. Some of the children will face this on their way. pic.twitter.com/GU8tZrlpQj

— Kamel Hawwash (@kamelhawwash) August 27, 2016

Saidam added that students would attend 2914 schools, which includes 39,689 classes. He further explained that 781,169 students will attend governmental schools, 296,835 will attend UN-run schools, and 114,804 students will attend private schools.

At the start of the new school year, Israel prevents the delivery of 300,000
schoolbooks from the West Bank into Gaza.

— Jamal Dajani جمال (@JamalDajani) August 28, 2016

This year 2,135 governmental schools will be in operation in addition to 353 UN-run schools and 426 private schools under the supervision of 66,136 teachers and administrators in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

(PC, SAMA)