Within the Musa household dwelling in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, for 3 siblings, the announcement of this 12 months’s high school examination results on July 24 mirrored an extended journey of dedication.
Regardless of the continuing genocide in Gaza, Sama, Abdullah and Nada Musa had targeted all their consideration on their Tawjihi, a collection of exams that determine Palestinian highschool college students’ educational future, to insulate their futures from incessant hardships and uncertainty.
Their trepidation was a household celebration when all three discovered that they’d handed their exams with flying colors. Sama scored 97.5 p.c, Abdullah 94.6 p.c, and Nada, 94.4 p.c.
Sama Musa, who achieved the best grade among the many siblings, mentioned the trail to educational success was “distinctive and troublesome”.
“Thank God for every thing. I anticipated the next grade, however the circumstances decided the end result we achieved,” he instructed Al Jazeera.
“Even psychologically, an individual didn’t have the power to proceed, however I challenged all circumstances so I might make my household completely happy and obtain the grade I had dreamed of for years.”
Instructional challenges
The trail was notably demanding for Abdullah and Nada, who couldn’t attend non-public classes on account of their bodily disabilities, so the household organized for lecturers to return to their dwelling.
Their mom, Hind Muhanna, says years of care and help had performed a task of their youngsters reaching distinctive grades. “Thank God, we labored very exhausting for them, and at this time I’m reaping the fruits of their success. Our efforts didn’t go to waste,” she instructed Al Jazeera.
“We all the time made them really feel that they had been higher than everybody else. From kindergarten by college, everybody who knew them would ask me: ‘What’s the secret behind their confidence?’”
Nada Musa acknowledged that their mother and father’ help was a key motivation to push them in the direction of reaching excessive grades.
“Thank God, due to my mother and father I used to be in a position to problem all difficulties. They supported me at each step and by no means fell quick,” she mentioned.
Regardless of the scholars’ work and fogeys’ backing, the genocide in Gaza inevitably affected their educational 12 months, so Abdullah was relieved that their grades mirrored the household’s joint efforts.
“Thank God, it was a grade that mirrored the trouble and exhausting work. It was a really troublesome 12 months full of displacement and hardships, however regardless of the ache, we had been in a position to attain the highest and obtain the targets we labored for,” he mentioned.
In an setting that makes life for Palestinians insufferable, hundreds of scholars in Gaza – together with the three siblings – labored exhausting over the 12 months to organize themselves for the exams.
Palestinian Minister of Schooling Amjad Barham mentioned about 89,000 college students within the occupied West Financial institution, occupied East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip took the Tawjihi this 12 months. One other 2,000 college students sat for the exams in 46 different international locations.
Barham mentioned that greater than 106,000 college students in Gaza have taken the Tawjihi exams over the previous three years, together with 36,900 college students in 2026. Greater than 1,100 college students who had been on account of take the Tawjihi exams this 12 months had been killed by Israel.
Israel’s struggle on Gaza has additionally seen hundreds of properties destroyed, faculties bombed, roads uprooted, and educational resources barred from entering Gaza.
The United Nations mentioned in November, shortly after a truce was introduced for Gaza, that greater than 97 p.c of colleges have been broken or destroyed over the previous two years of struggle.
Gaza’s academic system was on the snapping point, the UN added, with practically 92 p.c of training services requiring full reconstruction or main rehabilitation to develop into purposeful.
Instructing amid a genocide
Additionally behind the scholars’ success had been lecturers who continued their duties regardless of the distinctive circumstances.
Hanaa al-Sayed, a arithmetic trainer, supported a variety of Tawjihi college students by lessons at an academic centre in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, amid the destruction wrought by Israel.
Many college students arrived at class carrying heavy psychological masses brought on by the grief and trauma of dropping relations. Her response to the state of affairs was to deal with them not simply as her college students, but in addition as youngsters, with love and care.
“The scholars didn’t solely want somebody to clarify the curriculum; they wanted somebody to hearken to them and stand beside them,” she instructed Al Jazeera.
“I handled them as in the event that they had been my very own daughters, making an attempt to help them psychologically earlier than educating them arithmetic.”
Inside the college, which additionally served as a shelter for displaced individuals, youngsters sat on mats throughout classes.
“There have been no desks or chairs. The college was divided between Tawjihi college students and displaced individuals, however regardless of that, we insisted on persevering with training,” she mentioned.
Palestinians have demonstrated a dedication to training regardless of the troublesome circumstances they’ve confronted over the previous many years, and the Tawjihi outcomes this 12 months mirror this.
“What I noticed from the scholars was one thing distinctive. They got here to review regardless of every thing round them as a result of they consider training is their path to the longer term,” Hanaa mentioned.
A few of her college students who paused their training earlier than the struggle have since returned to high school.
“There have been college students who had misplaced hope of finishing their training earlier than the struggle, however they returned and determined to start out once more,” Hanaa mentioned. “This displays the extent of dedication and need to realize their desires.”
Celebrations amid grief
Whereas many college students celebrated their Tawjihi outcomes, this was additionally a time combined with grief.
Tala Abu Sukkar, from the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, misplaced her mom, Salwa, in 2010 when she was simply two years outdated. Through the struggle on Gaza, she misplaced her older brother Yusuf, then her father, Mahmoud, adopted by her sister and her 4 nephews and nieces. Tala now lives together with her uncle, who turned her major help carer after the lack of so many relations, and took her Tawjihi exams this 12 months.
The ultimate 12 months of college was not solely an instructional problem, but in addition a serious psychological battle as she tried to deal with the ache and grief that adopted her all year long.
“I misplaced individuals who had been a part of my life. The toughest factor was persevering with my path whereas carrying all this ache inside me, however I attempted to remain sturdy and maintain going,” she mentioned.
“The Tawjihi interval was one of the vital troublesome levels I’ve gone by. I used to be finding out whereas making an attempt to take care of grief, however I had a purpose to succeed and obtain one thing that will make my household proud.”
![Tala's father with his grandchildren [Eman Abu Zayed/Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/IMG_7801-1785588117.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C768&quality=80)
When she obtained her certificates, reaching a median rating of 86 p.c, it was a second combined with pleasure and disappointment.
“When the outcomes appeared, I felt combined feelings. I used to be completely happy that I succeeded, however I needed my father and my relations had been with me to share this pleasure,” she mentioned.
“My uncle has been my help after dropping my household, and his presence beside me helped me proceed and never surrender.”
The tales of this 12 months’s Tawjihi college students in Gaza symbolize the dedication of a era to proceed training and work in the direction of a greater future, regardless of nice hardships.
Regardless of dropping family members, altering studying environments and every day difficulties, college students continued their journey with the help of loving relations and lecturers.
The Tawjihi journey is a narrative of persistence and dedication but in addition reveals how vital training is to Palestinians’ lives. For the kids of Gaza, faculties stay a spot of hope, care and ambition.
