A new academic year has begun in the Gaza Strip, amid fears among Palestinian families of a third wave of the Corona epidemic, and the return of restrictions.
On Monday morning, 1.2 million male and female students went to school in all governorates of the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
There is hesitation among the families about the possibility of not continuing face-to-face education, in light of the third wave of Corona, which the Ministry of Health in Gaza said “actually started about two weeks ago.”
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health in Gaza recorded two deaths and 404 new infections with the new Corona virus in the Strip, during the past 24 hours.
The new academic year (2021-2022) will open with full face-to-face education with health requirements, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Education.
The mother of the child, “Aseel Khudair,” from Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza, told “Al-Quds Reporter”: “The truth is that we hesitated at first before buying the supplies for the new school year; Fear of an intensification of Corona.”
Aseel’s mother adds: “It will be unfortunate that face-to-face education will stop again. We have faced great difficulties in e-learning, and we hope that the situation will continue as it is.”
It is noteworthy that UNRWA announced, with the opening of the new academic year, that the study will be admissible “unless an emergency occurs in the epidemiological situation.”
For her part, the child’s mother, “Saleem Ghaith,” al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, believes that the new year will not continue in light of the talk about the “Delta mutator,” and the fears that it might spread to us.
Salim´s mother told the "Jerusalem Reporter": "The situation is a bit scary. I am following with interest the curve of corona infections in Gaza... and I think that the closures are inevitable."
The Ministry of Interior in Gaza denied that it had any decisions to take any closure measures, with regard to confronting Corona at this stage.
In a radio statement this week, Gaza Interior Ministry spokesman, Iyad al-Bazm, confirmed that schools will be organized on time, and that the Ministry of Education and UNRWA have taken all necessary measures to continue the educational process this year.
In this context, Tariq Sobh, a government teacher and mother of a high school student, says that he is "worried about the news circulating about Corona injuries."
Sobh, in an interview with the “Jerusalem Reporter,” indicated that the educational institution will face difficulties in continuing the school year in light of the intensification of the Corona wave, adding: “We have provided all the requirements for face-to-face studies. We hope that we will not be disappointed, and we will return to the previous education system.” .
It is noteworthy that the fears of the people in Gaza caused a stagnation in the sale of school uniforms and school supplies in the popular markets of the Strip; As a result of the low turnout of citizens before the start of the new school year.
This stagnation comes despite the fact that prices are the same as every year, and are within the reach of all families.
Clothes merchant Ahmed Arafa told the “Jerusalem Reporter”: “We were expecting a weak demand for school uniforms; As a result of the fear of many parents, they will not be able to continue with face-to-face education.”
Arafa, the owner of a fashion store in the popular market east of Gaza City, points out that the majority of merchants did not take the initiative to import new goods; As a result of these concerns, he added: “The economic situation and the lack of purchasing power; As a result of the blockade, the failure to spend affairs and the Qatari grant... all of this caused a weak season this year.”
A local study indicates that the local production of school uniforms decreased by 70% compared to last year.
Palestinian parents in the Gaza Strip are betting on the ability of the Ministry of Education and UNRWA to face any difficulties that may result from the third wave of Corona, and the “resilience of face-to-face education” this year.
The two authorities are supervising large vaccination campaigns for Corona; For its teaching staff and all employees of educational institutions.
The new year begins for all 3,200 public and private schools and UNRWA schools, and 1,500 kindergartens, where 150,000 children are enrolled in public and private kindergartens.
