About 48,000 students enrolled in 90 schools run by UNRWA in the occupied West Bank as the new academic year began, the UN agency said.
UNRWA said in a statement on Wednesday that the new school year began amid continued displacement, insecurity and challenges to Palestinian refugee children’s right to education.
The agency said it continues to “provide education to thousands of Palestinian refugee children", despite the difficult conditions facing the sector.
UNRWA said it provided education to students affected by displacement and disruptions to schooling through temporary and alternative learning spaces, remote education and self-learning materials.
Around half of the students displaced from the Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps also returned to UNRWA schools.
Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA affairs in the occupied West Bank, said the new school year offers thousands of Palestinian refugee children “renewed hope” after another year of displacement, violence and uncertainty.
In the occupied East Jerusalem, UNRWA said its six schools have remained forcibly closed by Israeli authorities since May 2025, affecting around 800 Palestinian refugee children.
The agency added that recent Israeli raids and measures at the Qalandia Training Centre threaten the continuity of its educational and training activities there.
UNRWA reaffirmed its commitment to providing education and creating opportunities for generations of Palestinian refugees, stressing that education is “a right for every child.”
In October 2024, the Israeli parliament passed two bills targeting UNRWA.
The first prohibits the agency from operating within the 1948 borders. The second bars Israeli officials from engaging with UNRWA in any capacity.
UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly in 1949 and has since been a lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees, providing humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and essential services under challenging conditions.
