Daijiworld Media Network - Nablus
Nablus, Feb 13: A deepening financial crisis triggered by Israel’s withholding of tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority (PA) has pushed the public education system in the occupied West Bank to the brink, with schools operating only a few days a week and dropout rates rising steadily.
At Zenabia Elementary School in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, principal Aisha al-Khatib is struggling to keep classes running. Like other government-run schools, Zenabia now opens for a maximum of three days a week due to severe budget constraints.
“For most of the week, the school is closed. We do everything we can, but we do not have the time, materials or consistency to properly teach our children and keep them off the streets,” al-Khatib said, warning that targeting education “means destroying the nation.”
Under the direction of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Israel has withheld billions of dollars in tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA over the past two years. The measure, Israeli officials have indicated, is partly aimed at pressuring the PA over its policy of payments to families of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The funding shortfall has led to cuts across public services, but educators say the impact has been especially severe in schools. Teachers receive only about 60 percent of their previous salaries, often after long delays, prompting strikes and forcing many to leave the profession.
At Zenabia, subjects such as science have effectively been dropped, with teachers focusing only on mathematics, Arabic and English. Schoolbooks have been reduced to partial “bundles of pages” instead of full volumes.
The disruption is already affecting students. Ten-year-old Zaid Hasseneh, a high-performing student who dreams of studying in the United States and becoming a doctor, now spends much of his time outside school. On off-days, he tries to improve his English using online tools.
His mother, Eman, now the sole breadwinner after her husband lost his job in Israel when work permits were revoked following the 2023 Gaza war, struggles to support his studies. “I go home tired from work, but I tell him studying is essential for life,” she said, adding that she cannot afford private schooling.
Teachers are also under strain. Tamara Shtayeh, who now teaches only three core subjects due to funding cuts, described the reduced schedule as inadequate. To make ends meet, she sells products online. Even principal al-Khatib said she can afford to send only one of her two daughters to university.
Officials estimate that 5 to 10 percent of students in the West Bank have dropped out over the past two years. Fifteen-year-old Talal Adabiq is among them. He left school to sell sweets on the streets of Nablus, earning about 40 to 50 shekels a day to support his family.
Beyond financial constraints, schools face security challenges. Israeli military raids often lead to temporary closures, while settler violence and demolitions have increased. According to Palestinian officials, more than 84,000 students have experienced disruptions due to raids, settler attacks and demolitions. Over 80 schools are under threat of demolition in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.
Ghassan Daghlas, governor of Nablus, said three schools in his district were attacked by settlers in the past two months. In Jalud, a school was set on fire last month.
“These are not individual acts,” said Mahmoud al-Aloul, vice chairman of the central committee of Fatah. “Rather, it is a general policy supported by the occupation.”
Education advocates warn that prolonged disruption could result in lasting institutional damage. “Saving education today is not a sectoral option, but a strategic necessity to protect society and its future,” said Refaat Sabbah, president of the Global Campaign for Education.
For parents like Eman, the crisis is deeply personal. “Our children deserve a chance at life,” she said.