Within the Musa household house in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, for 3 siblings, the announcement of this yr’s high school examination results on July 24 mirrored a protracted journey of dedication.
Regardless of the continued genocide in Gaza, Sama, Abdullah and Nada Musa had targeted all their consideration on their Tawjihi, a sequence of exams that determine Palestinian highschool college students’ tutorial future, to insulate their futures from incessant hardships and uncertainty.
Their trepidation was a household celebration when all three discovered that that they had 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 tutorial success was “distinctive and tough”.
“Thank God for all the things. I anticipated a better 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 pleased 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 resulting from their bodily disabilities, so the household organized for academics to come back to their house.
Their mom, Hind Muhanna, says years of care and help had performed a job of their youngsters reaching distinctive grades. “Thank God, we labored very arduous for them, and at present I’m reaping the fruits of their success. Our efforts didn’t go to waste,” she instructed Al Jazeera.
“We at all times made them really feel that they had been higher than everybody else. From kindergarten by way of faculty, everybody who knew them would ask me: ‘What’s the secret behind their confidence?’”
Nada Musa acknowledged that their dad and mom’ help was a key motivation to push them in the direction of reaching excessive grades.
“Thank God, due to my dad and mom I used to be capable of 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 tutorial yr, so Abdullah was relieved that their grades mirrored the household’s joint efforts.
“Thank God, it was a grade that mirrored the hassle and arduous work. It was a really tough yr stuffed with displacement and hardships, however regardless of the ache, we had been capable of attain the highest and obtain the objectives we labored for,” he mentioned.
In an setting that makes life for Palestinians insufferable, 1000’s of scholars in Gaza – together with the three siblings – labored arduous over the yr to arrange 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 yr. One other 2,000 college students sat for the exams in 46 different nations.
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 resulting from take the Tawjihi exams this yr had been killed by Israel.
Israel’s conflict on Gaza has additionally seen 1000’s of properties destroyed, colleges 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 faculties have been broken or destroyed over the previous two years of conflict.
Gaza’s instructional system was on the breaking point, the UN added, with practically 92 p.c of schooling amenities requiring full reconstruction or main rehabilitation to turn into practical.
Educating amid a genocide
Additionally behind the scholars’ success had been academics who continued their duties regardless of the distinctive circumstances.
Hanaa al-Sayed, a arithmetic trainer, supported quite a few Tawjihi college students by way of courses 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 hundreds brought on by the grief and trauma of shedding relations. Her response to the scenario was to deal with them not simply as her college students, but additionally as youngsters, with love and care.
“The scholars didn’t solely want somebody to clarify the curriculum; they wanted somebody to take heed 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 folks, youngsters sat on mats throughout classes.
“There have been no desks or chairs. The college was divided between Tawjihi college students and displaced folks, however regardless of that, we insisted on persevering with schooling,” she mentioned.
Palestinians have demonstrated a dedication to schooling regardless of the tough circumstances they’ve confronted over the previous a long time, and the Tawjihi outcomes this yr replicate this.
“What I noticed from the scholars was one thing distinctive. They got here to review regardless of all the things round them as a result of they consider schooling is their path to the long run,” Hanaa mentioned.
A few of her college students who paused their schooling earlier than the conflict have since returned to high school.
“There have been college students who had misplaced hope of finishing their schooling earlier than the conflict, however they returned and determined to begin once more,” Hanaa mentioned. “This displays the extent of dedication and want to realize their goals.”
Celebrations amid grief
Whereas many college students celebrated their Tawjihi outcomes, this was additionally a time blended 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 previous. In the course of the conflict 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 grew to become her principal help carer after the lack of so many relations, and took her Tawjihi exams this yr.
The ultimate yr of college was not solely an educational problem, but additionally a serious psychological wrestle 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 robust and hold going,” she mentioned.
“The Tawjihi interval was probably the most tough phases I’ve gone by way of. I used to be finding out whereas making an attempt to take care of grief, however I had a aim to succeed and obtain one thing that might 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 blended with pleasure and disappointment.
“When the outcomes appeared, I felt blended feelings. I used to be pleased that I succeeded, however I wanted my father and my relations had been with me to share this pleasure,” she mentioned.
“My uncle has been my help after shedding my household, and his presence beside me helped me proceed and never surrender.”
The tales of this yr’s Tawjihi college students in Gaza symbolize the dedication of a technology to proceed schooling and work in the direction of a greater future, regardless of nice hardships.
Regardless of shedding family members, altering studying environments and each day difficulties, college students continued their journey with the help of loving relations and academics.
The Tawjihi journey is a narrative of persistence and dedication but additionally exhibits how necessary schooling is to Palestinians’ lives. For the youngsters of Gaza, colleges stay a spot of hope, care and ambition.
