Within the Musa household residence in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, for 3 siblings, the announcement of this 12 months’s high school examination results on July 24 mirrored a protracted journey of willpower.
Regardless of the continuing genocide in Gaza, Sama, Abdullah and Nada Musa had centered 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 became a household celebration when all three came upon that that they had handed their exams with flying colors. Sama scored 97.5 %, Abdullah 94.6 %, and Nada, 94.4 %.
Sama Musa, who achieved the very best grade among the many siblings, stated the trail to tutorial success was “distinctive and troublesome”.
“Thank God for every part. I anticipated a better grade, however the circumstances decided the outcome we achieved,” he instructed Al Jazeera.
“Even psychologically, an individual didn’t have the vitality to proceed, however I challenged all circumstances so I may make my household comfortable and obtain the grade I had dreamed of for years.”
Academic challenges
The trail was significantly demanding for Abdullah and Nada, who couldn’t attend personal classes as a consequence of their bodily disabilities, so the household organized for academics to return to their residence.
Their mom, Hind Muhanna, says years of care and help had performed a job of their kids attaining distinctive grades. “Thank God, we labored very exhausting for them, and at the moment 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 have been higher than everybody else. From kindergarten by faculty, 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 attaining excessive grades.
“Thank God, due to my mother and father I used to be capable of problem all difficulties. They supported me at each step and by no means fell brief,” she stated.
Regardless of the scholars’ work and oldsters’ backing, the genocide in Gaza inevitably affected their tutorial 12 months, so Abdullah was relieved that their grades mirrored the household’s joint efforts.
“Thank God, it was a grade that mirrored the hassle and exhausting work. It was a really troublesome 12 months stuffed with displacement and hardships, however regardless of the ache, we have been capable of attain the highest and obtain the objectives we labored for,” he stated.
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 stated 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 stated 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 have been as a consequence of take the Tawjihi exams this 12 months have been killed by Israel.
Israel’s battle on Gaza has additionally seen hundreds of properties destroyed, faculties bombed, roads uprooted, and educational resources barred from entering Gaza.
The United Nations stated in November, shortly after a truce was introduced for Gaza, that greater than 97 % of faculties have been broken or destroyed over the previous two years of battle.
Gaza’s instructional system was on the breaking point, the UN added, with almost 92 % of schooling amenities requiring full reconstruction or main rehabilitation to develop into practical.
Educating amid a genocide
Additionally behind the scholars’ success have been academics who continued their duties regardless of the distinctive circumstances.
Hanaa al-Sayed, a arithmetic trainer, supported a variety of Tawjihi college students by 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 attributable to the grief and trauma of dropping members of the family. Her response to the scenario was to deal with them not simply as her college students, but additionally as kids, 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 have been my very own daughters, making an attempt to help them psychologically earlier than educating them arithmetic.”
Inside the varsity, which additionally served as a shelter for displaced folks, kids sat on mats throughout classes.
“There have been no desks or chairs. The varsity was divided between Tawjihi college students and displaced folks, however regardless of that, we insisted on persevering with schooling,” she stated.
Palestinians have demonstrated a dedication to schooling 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 check regardless of every part round them as a result of they consider schooling is their path to the longer term,” Hanaa stated.
A few of her college students who paused their schooling earlier than the battle have since returned to highschool.
“There have been college students who had misplaced hope of finishing their schooling earlier than the battle, however they returned and determined to start out once more,” Hanaa stated. “This displays the extent of willpower and need to attain their desires.”
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 outdated. Throughout the battle 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 along with her uncle, who turned her most important help carer after the lack of so many members of the family, and took her Tawjihi exams this 12 months.
The ultimate 12 months of faculty was not solely an instructional 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 have 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 maintain going,” she stated.
“The Tawjihi interval was probably the most 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 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 acquired her certificates, attaining a median rating of 86 %, it was a second blended with pleasure and disappointment.
“When the outcomes appeared, I felt blended feelings. I used to be comfortable that I succeeded, however I needed my father and my members of the family have been with me to share this pleasure,” she stated.
“My uncle has been my help after dropping my household, and his presence beside me helped me proceed and never quit.”
The tales of this 12 months’s Tawjihi college students in Gaza symbolize the willpower of a era to proceed schooling and work in the direction of a greater future, regardless of nice hardships.
Regardless of dropping family members, altering studying environments and each day difficulties, college students continued their journey with the help of loving members of the family and academics.
The Tawjihi journey is a narrative of endurance and willpower but additionally reveals how essential schooling is to Palestinians’ lives. For the youngsters of Gaza, faculties stay a spot of hope, care and ambition.
