Students Without Classrooms: The Education Crisis in the West Bank Threatens an Entire Generation’s Future

The twins Ahmed and Mohammed Al-Hajj (10 years old) and their generation of students have been affected by the decision to reduce school days in the West Bank from five days a week to three, amid a worsening budget deficit for the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah and the resulting repercussions affecting various aspects of life.

At a time when the twins should be in their classrooms, they remained at their home in the city of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, like thousands of Palestinian students impacted by the stifling financial crisis facing the Palestinian Authority.

The effects of the crisis are clearly visible in the education sector, especially with teachers not receiving their full salaries and school days being reduced amid a state of uncertainty, raising concerns for the future of approximately 630,000 Palestinian pupils.

The father of the twins says: “Without proper education, there is no university, and that means their future could be lost.”

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Part of the budget deficit stems from Israel’s decision to withhold the clearance revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, a measure used as leverage, particularly after the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.

The economy of the West Bank has also been severely damaged due to the halt of work permits for Palestinians inside Israel, in addition to severe movement restrictions and the proliferation of military checkpoints.

“No Sound Educational Foundation”
The principal of the school attended by the twins in Nablus says: “The educational opportunities available to us were much better than what today’s generation has.” She adds: “Salaries are reduced, workdays are cut, and students are not receiving sufficient education.”

The principal points out that a number of teachers have left the profession in search of other sources of income, while some students have resorted to work to help their families during the long school closures.

The twins’ father does not hide his worry about this situation, especially as he and his wife are forced to leave their children in front of the television or mobile phone when school days are canceled. Although the twins receive private tutoring, its cost is a burden on the family, given the father’s work in the agricultural sector.

A teacher in Nablus explains that her daughter (16 years old) dropped six grades compared to last year due to reduced study hours. She confirms that the greatest impact is on younger students, saying: “In the foundational stage, there is no sound educational foundation, and insufficient reinforcement of reading and writing skills.”

She adds that irregular attendance has led to poor concentration and discipline, as well as “a decline in grades, tension, laziness, and psychological pressure.”

“A Comprehensive Systemic Emergency”
In the schools of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), where approximately 48,000 students receive their education in West Bank refugee camps, the picture appears equally bleak. A spokesperson for the agency says the situation has shifted from a “learning poverty crisis” to a “comprehensive systemic emergency.”

Despite UNRWA schools’ good reputation, the spokesperson points to a sharp decline in student performance in Arabic and Mathematics in recent years, attributing it to multiple factors, including the financial crisis, Israeli military incursions, and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He adds: “The mix of in-person and remote learning, psychological trauma, and more than two thousand documented incidents of military interventions or settler attacks during 2024 and 2025, are all factors that have led to the loss of educational opportunities for thousands of Palestinian refugee students.”

UNRWA is itself considering reducing weekly school days amid a growing financial deficit, following the halt of contributions from major donor countries, including the United States during the administration of President Donald Trump. The agency is the primary provider of health and education services in West Bank refugee camps.

In the northern West Bank, where Israeli military operations in refugee camps displaced approximately 35,000 people during 2025, some students have lost up to 45% of their school days,