Students in Gaza face exams despite homeless situation

High School Student in Gaza Struggles to Complete Exams Amidst Ongoing Conflict

Dana Shabat, an 18-year-old student from Deir el-Balah in the Gaza Strip, has been walking for an hour each day to reach a nearby cafe to take her high school exams. The exams, known as the tawjihi, are being held online due to the destruction of schools and examination halls caused by Israeli attacks.

Shabat is an exceptional student with an average grade of 99 percent, but she faces significant challenges in completing her education. She has already lived through over two and a half years of conflict, including an Israeli strike last year that killed her mother, Lina, one of more than 73,000 Palestinians to have been killed since October.

Due to the destruction of schools and limited internet connectivity, Shabat has had to continue her education remotely. She spends hours each day walking to a cafe with reliable internet access to complete her exams online. Her father, Muhanna, has sacrificed his own household needs to pay for private tutors to help her prepare for the exams.

This year’s exams are significant for Shabat, as she hopes to secure a scholarship abroad and build a future far from the hardship in Gaza. She is one of 37,000 Palestinian students taking the tawjihi exams, which are being held in coordination with Palestinian authorities in the West Bank for the first time since the war started.

Shabat’s father reflects on their past life before the war, when they had a beautiful home and stability. “Our life was wonderful,” he says. “We had a beautiful home, stability, and my wife and I made sure our daughters had everything they needed.” However, he notes that all of this has vanished due to the ongoing conflict.

The exams are scheduled to take place at 9am, and students will be taking them online from closely spaced tables in the cafe. Each student checks their internet connection before starting the exam, while Dana’s father waits outside with other parents.

Source: Al Jazeera