Gaza's Schools Remain Shuttered; Students Pursue Exams in Cafés, Face University Recognition Crisis

Every school in Gaza has been closed since October 2023. High school students now take the tawjihi—Palestine's university entrance exam—in cafés or Cairo, while the Palestinian Ministry of Education and UNICEF offer informal learning programs. Credentials earned outside accredited systems won't transfer to Arab universities, creating a structural barrier to workforce recovery after the conflict ends.