Another School Year: 846,000 West Bank Students Sit at Their Desks Again!

• CrossFireArabia
• September 6, 2026

About 846,000 students went back to schools in the West Bank, Sunday, marking the start of the 2026/2027 schoolastic year. These students are distributed across 2,537 government, private, and UNRWA schools, and are taught by around 54,000 teachers. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Education, the number of students in government schools is 634,294, distributed across 1,967 schools; 163,787 students are distributed across 480 private schools; and 48,208 students are distributed across 90 UNRWA schools. The number of teachers in government schools is 40,747; in private schools, 11,578; and in UNRWA schools, 1,871, bringing the total teaching staff to 54,196.

In the Gaza Strip, the educational process will begin on September 16 with the attendance of administrative and teaching staff, and students will join the education on the 19th of the same month, while the Ministry of Education and Higher Education is preparing to provide about 700 in-person educational points and 25 temporary schools, in addition to the continuation of virtual education for students unable to access in-person education, which will allow about 541,000 male and female students to continue their education, according to the available capabilities.