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How Gaza’s children keep learning amid the destruction

Published

11 months ago

October 9, 2025

How Gaza’s children keep learning amid the destruction

LONDON: For the third consecutive year, as students elsewhere grab their backpacks and return to class, children in Gaza carry what little they have left, fleeing from one danger zone to another, their futures uncertain.

Some 660,000 school-age children in Gaza have been deprived of formal education since Oct. 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel triggered Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

For most Gazan families, survival has eclipsed every other concern. “Families have been uprooted 10, even 15 times. Their main focus is on food, water, clothing and sleep,” Issa Saaba, director of the Canaan Institute of New Pedagogy in Gaza, told Arab News.

More than 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.2 million residents have been displaced multiple times, forced to seek shelter in tents, UNRWA schools, and hospitals — almost all of which have suffered some form of war damage.

Yet amid the devastation, Gaza’s children continue to cling to whatever schooling they can get. “Health and education have never been abandoned,” Saaba said.

“Once there was even a fleeting sense of stability; whether in open fields, partially destroyed homes, or tents along streets and yards, families and local initiatives sought to provide children with some form of schooling.”

Education has long been a cornerstone of Palestinian identity. In 2022, literacy in Palestine surpassed 97 percent, with near parity between men and women, according to Statista.

“Education is prized by Palestinians as a route to a future they’re being denied,” Iyas Al-Qasem, founder and trustee of the UK charity Hope and Play, told Arab News. “But when the genocide intensified, schools were destroyed, robbing children of both education and hope.”

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Since the start of the war, Israeli strikes and ground operations have damaged or destroyed more than 95 percent of Gaza’s school buildings, UN figures show.

“Gaza is in ruins. So is its education system,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote in a Sept. 1 post on X. He described Israel’s targeting of educational facilities as “scholasticide.”

Satellite imagery analysis by the UN Satellite Centre in July found that 91.8 percent of Gaza’s schools — 518 out of 564 — will need complete reconstruction or major repairs. Nearly three-quarters have suffered direct hits.

Despite the destruction, grassroots educators have created improvised classrooms. In March 2024, Saaba’s Canaan Institute and Hope and Play established three makeshift schools in Al-Zawaida of the Deir Al-Balah governorate, in Rafah, and in Al-Mawasi, western Khan Younis.

“When some displaced families returned north, a school was set up in tents in northern Gaza City,” Saaba said. “Altogether, we reached 610 students at the elementary level.”

Al-Qasem said such initiatives make a difference. “None of these children live in the conditions we wish for them, but we can still make things better,” he said.

Beyond traditional lessons, the groups launched creative learning programs, including puppet theater, storytelling, sports, and community play days, to offer both education and psychological relief.

“The big mouth puppet theater shows took nearly a month to develop and prepare, with the team working under some of the harshest conditions in a city devastated by destruction,” Saaba said.

“The plays promote values such as tolerance, love, cooperation, honesty, and respect for parents, while also warning children about the dangers of playing with remnants of war.”

He added that the show’s main song “is about rebuilding our destroyed homes with our own hands, full of excitement, fun, and music.”

About 60 performances were held in displacement camps, shelters, courtyards, and streets, reaching roughly 10,000 children and many parents. Another 80 shows, featuring clowns, stilt walkers, and bear mascots, brought laughter and lessons to devastated neighborhoods.

One unlikely initiative even introduced a rollerblading academy in central Gaza.

“They managed to get rollerblades and put a couple of hundred children through the academy,” Al-Qasem said. “You look at their faces and there’s joy — it’s bizarre and powerful to see joy in the midst of what’s going on.”

Such activities, he added, gave both children and instructors “a sense of agency” in a situation where little else was under their control. “They weren’t just at the behest of the bombs; they were actually doing things.”

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The courage and dedication of volunteers, Saaba said, was “remarkable.” Despite bombings, famine, and loss, “they showed rare commitment, solidarity and selflessness — examples rarely seen in history.”

In August 2024, the groups held a graduation ceremony in northern Gaza. “Kids waving their certificates in the air amid bombing — an act of both defiance and celebration,” Al-Qasem said.

By then, about 1,000 informal learning centers across Gaza were serving roughly 250,000 students. Many hosted more than 1,000 children each.

But even these acts of hope have not been spared from the violence. In March, 28-year-old artist Dorgham Quraiqi was killed alongside his wife and brothers when an explosion tore through the ruins of their home in Gaza City’s Shuja’iya neighborhood.

“He was our first team member to be killed,” said Al-Qasem. “We also lost a 20-year-old stilt-walking clown who was killed while driving back from a show for kids.

“Everything they do takes place under that shadow. It’s heartbreaking to think about how many of the children who joined our workshops are still alive — and, if alive, what life they now face.”

Save the Children and UN agencies report that more than 20,000 children have been killed since October 2023, with at least 42,000 injured and 21,000 permanently disabled.

James Elder, spokesperson for the UN children’s fund, UNICEF, described witnessing children killed near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah. “It was a room full of children, four or five children, all who’d been shot by quadcopters,” he told the news website Zeteo in early October.

The loss of routine, safety and learning has deep psychological impacts on children.

“Schools are one of the strongest protective factors (in war),” Jeeda Alhakim, a specialist counseling psychologist at City, University of London, told Arab News.

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“They offer routine, a sense of normalcy, and safe spaces where children can build supportive relationships with teachers and peers.

“When we think about children’s mental health in war, psychologists often talk about risk factors, things like exposure to violence, hunger, or displacement that increase distress, and protective factors — things that buffer against harm.”

Education, Alhakim said, “gives children hope” and reminds them “they are more than the war they are living through.”

But this is the same reason “schools are often deliberately targeted in war — precisely because they symbolize continuity and possibility.”

Attacks on schools “not only disrupt learning but also strip children of a key source of stability and resilience,” she said. “That’s why protecting education in conflict isn’t just about learning, it’s about safeguarding children’s mental health and well-being.”

Alhakim warned that Gaza’s children face overlapping traumas that “don’t just add up, they multiply.” Hunger weakens concentration; displacement severs social ties; disability isolates.

“Each one strains a child’s ability to cope, and when they overlap, the burden becomes much heavier,” she said.

In August, famine was officially declared in parts of Gaza, including Gaza City. More than half a million people are now trapped in conditions of starvation and destitution, according to an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis released in August.

“A child who is hungry, displaced, and living with a disability isn’t just facing three separate problems, they’re facing a web of challenges that reinforce each other,” Alhakim said. “They may be cut off from school, miss out on food support, or find it harder to access safe spaces.”

She cautioned that “this cumulative risk makes mental health difficulties far more likely.”

Hundreds of UN-run schools and learning centers, many used as shelters, have been struck by Israeli airstrikes, according to Human Rights Watch. Israeli officials claim Hamas militants use civilian buildings to stash weapons and to mount attacks but have provided little evidence.

How Gaza’s children keep learning amid the destruction

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Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

Published

7 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal

Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

The 19-year-old Spain international insists his World Cup and La Liga triumphs speak for themselves, while also being named one of Barcelona’s vice-captains ahead of the October 26 ceremony.

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal has made it clear that he will not campaign or “beg” for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, stating that his achievements on the pitch for club and country should speak for themselves. Speaking ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League opener against Feyenoord, the 19-year-old responded to comments from rival Kylian Mbappé, who had previously made his case for the award by highlighting his World Cup Golden Boot win, which also saw him become the competition’s all-time top goalscorer.

“I don’t think I need to campaign for the Ballon d’Or. I’m not thinking about what I deserve, everyone can think what they like,” Yamal told reporters. “I’m proud of everything I’ve done this year with my club and with the national team. We’ve become world champions, we’ve won the league again. I can’t ask for anything more. I think I’ve shown an incredible level, it’s your job and I will not beg for anything.”

The Spanish international, who finished second in last year’s voting behind PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé, is among the leading contenders for the prize alongside Mbappé, Harry Kane, Dembélé, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London. Yamal was officially named among the 30 nominees for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or when France Football unveiled the list on Tuesday, marking his third nomination.

When asked about Dembélé’s recent comments naming Kvaratskhelia, Kane, and Mbappé as his top three, Yamal joked: “He’s a friend of Kylian, right? Honestly, I don’t care. I’m very happy with the year I had. Whenever I’ve faced both of them, I’ve won. They must have taken a dislike to me for some reason.” Spain knocked France out of the World Cup semi-finals with a convincing 2-0 victory.

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Yamal, who suffered a hamstring injury in April, has returned to form with two goals in his last two outings against Rayo Vallecano and Valencia, and appeared far more cheerful after a difficult start to the season. “In the end, I’m 19, coming off winning a World Cup, having had the best holidays of my life. I’ve never been happier at any point in my life than I am now,” he said.

Beyond individual honours, Yamal emphasised that Barcelona’s primary target this season is the Champions League trophy, a title that has eluded the Catalan giants since 2015. “There’s no greater motivation than the Champions League, which is the one I still have to win. We will give our all to win it,” Yamal said ahead of Wednesday’s opener against Feyenoord. “Good players have arrived, like Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Rodri.”

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised the young star, saying: “Lamine is a player who can decide games on his own, fantastic quality. It’s great, you can see it every day how he is enjoying playing football. For me the best thing is that he enjoys this game and then he’s on a top level.”

Yamal is also the favourite to win a third consecutive best young player award at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, having been one of 10 players nominated on Tuesday, including Johan Manzambi, Yan Diomande, and Ayyoub Bouaddi, who all impressed at the World Cup and were then the subject of big-money summer transfers.

Interestingly, during the press conference, neither Yamal nor Flick mentioned Feyenoord by name, instead focusing entirely on Barcelona’s mission to win the Champions League. Yamal was recently elected one of three vice-captains by his teammates, alongside Eric Garcia and Frenkie de Jong, with coach Hansi Flick selecting Raphinha and Pedri as the other members of the five-man captaincy group. “It’s something to be proud of at 19 years old. I’m very grateful to my teammates. It’s a position that comes with responsibilities, even if I’m only 19, but I’m very happy,” he said.

Yamal Fires Back at Mbappé: “I’m Not Going to Beg” for Ballon d’Or

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Lagos Moves to Slash Agency Fees, Curb Rent Hikes With New Tenancy Bill

Published

9 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Trends Admin

Lagos Moves to Slash Agency Fees, Curb Rent Hikes With New Tenancy Bill

The Lagos State Government has unveiled a proposed tenancy law aimed at overhauling the relationship between landlords, tenants and estate agents, with measures designed to curb arbitrary rent increases, excessive agency charges, fraudulent property transactions and prolonged tenancy disputes.

The proposed Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill, 2025, currently before the Lagos State House of Assembly, seeks to replace the existing tenancy framework with a more comprehensive regime covering rent payments, advance rent, agency fees, eviction, dispute resolution and the conduct of landlords and property agents.

The bill, however, has not yet become law and remains subject to legislative consideration and possible amendments.

One of the most significant provisions in the proposed legislation is the plan to reduce estate agency fees to five per cent of annual rent.

The proposal has attracted considerable attention because tenants in Lagos routinely complain about the financial burden of agency, agreement and other charges demanded when securing accommodation.

The Lagos State House of Assembly had previously stated during deliberations on the bill that the agency commission would be reduced from the existing 10 per cent benchmark to five per cent. An agent who charges above the prescribed rate under the proposed law could face sanctions, including refund of the excess, a fine of up to N1 million or imprisonment for up to two years, or both.

The bill also proposes compulsory registration of estate agents with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority, LASRERA.

Under the proposal, operating as an estate agent without the required registration would become an offence. The government says the measure is intended to check the activities of fraudulent and unregistered operators accused of collecting money from unsuspecting members of the public, engaging in multiple transactions on the same property and imposing questionable charges on prospective tenants.

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The proposed legislation further requires agents handling rent or other funds on behalf of property owners to account for such money and remit it within a stipulated period. Legal reviews of the draft bill put the remittance period at seven working days and require agents to issue receipts for transactions.

One-year limit on advance rent

Another major proposal is the restriction on advance rent.

The draft legislation seeks to prevent landlords from demanding excessive periods of rent upfront. Under the proposed framework, a new tenant would generally not be required to pay more than one year’s rent in advance, while sitting tenants who ordinarily pay monthly would not be compelled to make excessive advance payments.

The measure is expected to address one of the biggest challenges facing accommodation seekers in Lagos, where prospective tenants often complain of demands for one, two or even more years’ rent before they are allowed to occupy a property.

Landlords may face scrutiny over rent increases

The proposed law also seeks to tackle what it describes as unreasonable increases in rent.

Under the bill, a tenant who considers a rent increase excessive could challenge it, with the court empowered to consider factors including rents charged for comparable properties and evidence presented by both the landlord and tenant.

The proposal is significant in a city where rapid increases in rental values have become a major concern for residents, particularly low- and middle-income earners.

The bill also provides protection for tenants who challenge an allegedly unreasonable increase, including restrictions on eviction while the matter is before the court.

Faster resolution of landlord-tenant disputes

Perhaps one of the most ambitious aspects of the proposed legislation is its attempt to speed up tenancy-related litigation.

The bill provides for tenancy proceedings through originating summons and proposes mechanisms designed to shorten the time between filing a case and hearing it.

It also empowers courts to sit on weekends and public holidays for tenancy matters and provides for virtual hearings.

The proposed framework further provides for mediation as an alternative to prolonged litigation, with the aim of resolving disputes more quickly and reducing the backlog of landlord-tenant cases.

The government has argued that faster dispute resolution would benefit both landlords and tenants by reducing the cost and uncertainty associated with lengthy court proceedings.

Tenants to provide evidence

The Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said tenants seeking legal action would be required to provide evidence including proof of rent payments and updated utility bills.

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According to the government, the requirement is intended to ensure that tenancy disputes are supported by verifiable documentation rather than mere allegations.

Protection against self-help eviction

The proposed framework also strengthens legal protection against arbitrary eviction and other forms of self-help.

The draft bill provides for lawful procedures that landlords must follow when seeking possession of their properties. It seeks to discourage practices such as forcibly ejecting tenants, interfering with access to premises or taking other unilateral measures without following due process.

It also contains provisions relating to abandoned premises, recovery of possession and enforcement of court orders.

Service charges, deposits and professional fees

The bill goes beyond rent and agency commissions to address other financial issues associated with tenancy.

Among the proposed provisions are rules concerning service charges, facility and security deposits, as well as professional fees.

The draft framework seeks greater transparency in the handling of tenants’ money and provides for accountability concerning service charges and refundable deposits. Legal reviews of the bill indicate that security deposits would generally be refundable, subject to documented deductions for damage or other legitimate claims.

LASRERA intensifies enforcement

The proposed reforms come against the backdrop of increased enforcement by LASRERA against fraudulent operators in Lagos’ property market.

The Commissioner for Housing disclosed that the regulatory agency recovered more than N270 million from fraudulent estate agents between 2025 and 2026.

The government says the enforcement campaign, combined with the proposed legislation, is intended to restore confidence in the state’s real estate sector and protect residents from exploitation.

Stakeholders raise concerns

While the proposed reduction in agency fees has been welcomed by tenant advocates, housing stakeholders have also raised concerns about possible loopholes.

Spaces for Change, which participated in the 2025 public hearing on the bill, warned that agents could attempt to circumvent a five per cent cap by introducing additional charges under different descriptions.

The organisation recommended that the prescribed five per cent ceiling should cover other related charges in order to prevent agents from simply shifting costs from “agency fee” to documentation, inspection or other charges.

There have also been calls for the bill to provide clearer safeguards around the collection, storage and use of tenants’ personal information, given the large amount of sensitive data prospective tenants routinely submit to landlords and estate agents.

Bill still awaiting passage

Despite the publicity surrounding the proposed reforms, tenants and landlords have been urged not to assume that the new provisions are already enforceable.

The Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill remains a proposal before the Lagos State House of Assembly. Until it is passed by the Assembly and receives the necessary assent, the existing tenancy law remains the applicable legal framework.

If eventually enacted, however, the proposed law could represent one of the most far-reaching changes to landlord-tenant relations in Lagos in years, particularly through its proposed five per cent agency-fee cap, restrictions on advance rent, compulsory registration of agents, stronger protections against arbitrary rent increases and faster mechanisms for resolving tenancy disputes.

For millions of Lagos residents struggling with rising accommodation costs, the central question will now be whether the proposed reforms can move from the pages of the bill to effective enforcement across the state’s notoriously expensive and complex rental market.