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How Gaza’s children keep learning amid the destruction

Published

12 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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Pastor Apologises to Wife, Women Over Past Affairs, Steps Back From Ministry

Published

4 hours ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Apostle Sam Adegoke

Pastor Apologises to Wife, Women Over Past Affairs, Steps Back From Ministry

Apostle Sam Adegoke, a newlywed pastor of Elijah Generation Church, Akure, Ondo State, has stepped back from public ministry after apologising over past sexual relationships and allegations surrounding his conduct with women.

Adegoke announced his decision in a statement, saying he had chosen to withdraw from public ministry and social media to reflect on his actions, seek counsel and take steps towards making amends.

The pastor acknowledged that he had been involved in sexual relationships with women before his marriage, describing his conduct as wrong and expressing regret over the consequences of his actions.

He said the fact that the relationships occurred before his marriage did not excuse his behaviour, adding that he was seeking spiritual guidance as well as pastoral and professional counselling.

Adegoke also apologised to the women involved, as well as his wife, family, church members, colleagues and others who had placed their trust in him as a spiritual leader.

He said stepping back from public ministry was necessary to allow him to confront his past, make appropriate changes and demonstrate genuine repentance through his actions.

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The pastor further said he was willing to remain under appropriate spiritual, pastoral and professional accountability during the process.

His decision followed the emergence of leaked WhatsApp conversations in which several women allegedly accused him of having sexual relationships with female church members over several years.

Some of the allegations reportedly concerned relationships that allegedly occurred shortly before his wedding. Adegoke admitted to past sexual relationships but did not publicly address every allegation contained in the leaked conversations.

The women also reportedly raised concerns about the welfare of female members of the church and alleged that some women had left the congregation over the pastor’s conduct.

Adegoke, however, said his immediate focus was on accepting responsibility for his past actions and undergoing the process he considered necessary for genuine change.

He appealed for prayers and said he wanted to approach the situation with humility, integrity and accountability, while making amends where appropriate.

The controversy has drawn significant attention because of its timing, coming shortly after the pastor’s marriage and amid renewed scrutiny of the allegations concerning his past relationships.

The pastor and his wife have reportedly disabled comments on their respective Instagram accounts following the development.

Pastor Apologises to Wife, Women Over Past Affairs, Steps Back From Ministry

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Iwo Son Becomes Yorubaland’s First Muslim Professor of Arabic Without Secondary School

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5 hours ago

October 6, 2026

Trends Admin

Iwo Son Becomes Yorubaland’s First Muslim Professor of Arabic Without Secondary School

Prof. Razaq Abubakre’s remarkable journey from self-study to academic excellence

The remarkable story of Professor Razaq Deremi Abubakre, an indigene of Iwo, Osun State, has continued to inspire generations, particularly for his extraordinary journey from a humble educational background to the pinnacle of Arabic scholarship in Nigeria.

Born on January 20, 1948, in Iwo, Abubakre rose to become the first Muslim Professor of Arabic in Yorubaland, a feat that established his place among the foremost scholars of Arabic and Islamic studies in the country.

What makes his achievement even more remarkable is the unusual path through which he attained academic excellence.

Available biographical accounts indicate that Abubakre did not attend a conventional secondary school. Instead, he pursued much of his early education through Arabic and Islamic learning, self-study and personal discipline.

His determination eventually paid off when he obtained distinctions that enabled him to proceed to the University of Ibadan, where he studied Arabic and graduated with First Class honours.

In an interview published by The PUNCH, Abubakre recalled how he returned to formal schooling after leaving in 1961 and was placed in Year Three in 1966. He said he subsequently performed exceptionally well, before later taking the University of Ibadan entrance examination for a Certificate in Arabic and Islamic Studies in 1969.

His academic journey later took him to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where he pursued doctoral studies in Arabic Literature under a Commonwealth Scholarship and completed his PhD in 1980.

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In 1989, Abubakre was appointed a Professor of Arabic at the University of Ilorin, at the age of 41, cementing his place in the history of Arabic scholarship in Yorubaland.

But beyond his own academic accomplishments, perhaps the most enduring part of Abubakre’s legacy is the number of scholars and intellectuals he taught and mentored.

Among those associated with him as students are Professor Ishaq Oloyede, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and current Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Professor Muhammad Shafi’u Abdullahi, former Registrar of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS); and Professor Amidu Olalekan Sanni, former Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University.

Others include Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, as well as Professors K.K. Oloso and Muhibbu-Din Opeloye, who served at different times as commissioners in Oyo and Osun states respectively.

Academic records and scholarly publications also attest to Abubakre’s influence on the development of Arabic and Islamic scholarship in Nigeria. A University of Ibadan research publication, for instance, lists him alongside Professor Ishaq Oloyede and other prominent scholars as products of the Arabic-Islamic educational tradition.

Abubakre’s career has extended beyond the classroom. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, and held several academic and administrative responsibilities, while also contributing extensively to scholarship through books, journal articles and international academic engagements.

His story therefore goes beyond the title of professor.

It is a story of determination, self-education, intellectual discipline and mentorship.

For Iwo, it is also a story of a son of the ancient town who rose from an unconventional educational beginning to become a major figure in Arabic scholarship and a mentor to generations of academics.

Professor Abubakre’s journey demonstrates that the circumstances of one’s beginning do not necessarily determine the height of one’s achievement.

From Iwo to the University of Ibadan, from there to SOAS in London and eventually to professorial leadership in Nigeria, his life remains an enduring testimony to the power of knowledge, perseverance and purposeful mentorship.

At a time when educational opportunities are increasingly available to millions of young Nigerians, the story of the Iwo-born scholar offers another important lesson: great intellectual achievements can emerge from the most unlikely beginnings when determination is matched with discipline and opportunity.

Iwo Son Becomes Yorubaland’s First Muslim Professor of Arabic Without Secondary School

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President Tinubu Mourns 32 NAF Personnel in Ondo Jet Crash, Orders Immediate Probe

Published

23 hours ago

October 5, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

President Tinubu Mourns 32 NAF Personnel in Ondo Jet Crash, Orders Immediate Probe

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed profound grief over the crash of a Nigerian Air Force ATR-42 aircraft near a naval base in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State, which claimed the lives of all 32 personnel on board.

The tragic incident occurred on Monday morning when the aircraft, on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos, went down shortly before reaching its destination. The victims include 25 passengers and seven crew members.

In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President described the incident as “a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation.”

“Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Tinubu said.

The President extended his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, and the entire Nigerian Air Force community.

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President Tinubu revealed that he had received a briefing from the Chief of Air Staff and has directed an immediate and thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences.

“I have directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences,” he stated.

The President commended the Nigerian Air Force for activating an immediate Search and Rescue operation following the accident, as well as the swift response of first responders and the Ondo State Government at the crash site.

“I pray for the repose of the souls of the gallant officers and for Almighty God to grant their families and the Nigerian Air Force the fortitude to bear the unfortunate loss,” Tinubu said.

He further assured the Nigerian Air Force of the continued support of his administration as they continue their vital role in securing the nation.

The crash marks one of the deadliest air disasters involving Nigerian military personnel in recent years, casting a shadow over the nation’s security apparatus. The Nigerian Air Force is expected to release further details as the investigation gets underway.