Gaza siege robbing children of their education

The number of students enrolling in Gaza schools has significantly declined from the percentage of which enrolled in the previous years.

Gaza which has in recent history had much success in education – despite the 11 year ongoing seige – carrying a higher literacy rating than the United States of America.

For its success in being able to provide education during what the UN Secretary General just deemed a “humanitarian catastrophe” Gaza has finally started to feel the fading away of one of the last human rights they hold dearest, the education of their children and the passing on of information.

The reason for the decline in enrolment comes down to the fact that in the most densely populated area on earth and with a growing population of now over 2 million people, Gaza has neither the wealth nor the resources necessary to accommodate students.

In the latest onslaught of Gaza in 2014 the Israeli regimes airforce destroyed 5 schools and damaged at least 182, Israel then held back most of the building materials (necessary to rebuild the schools) from entering through the Erez border crossing.

Due to the latest electricity crisis in Gaza restricting electricity to a few hours per day, operating hospitals has been hard enough.

To make the situation even harsher, many teachers have been pushed below the poverty line or/and have refused to work after the PA (Palestinian Authority) earlier this year decided to cut the salaries of its employers from between 30-70%. The PA’s move was to pressure Hamas to relinquish their control over Gaza, this move didn’t work and collectively punished the Gazan population.

Now with recent condemnation of the seige by the UN Secretary General and his calls to end the 11 year crippling blockade, it seems as if it’s on the international community to help in ensuring the education isn’t further robbed of Gaza’s children.