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Türkiye Diyanet Foundation Opens a 1,200-Student-Capacity High School in Gaza

By 4 November 2026November 12th, 2026No Comments
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Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV), in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, has opened Al-Sahil High School in the Shati area, west of Gaza City, to enable students to continue their education despite the severe challenges caused by the ongoing war. 

The school was built using recycled wooden and metal materials originally used in humanitarian aid boxes, providing a more suitable learning environment amid the widespread damage to educational institutions across Gaza. 

Hatem Afane, an employee of TDV’s local partner organisation, stated that the Foundation, with the support of the Turkish people, continues to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza in the areas of food, water, shelter and education. 

Emphasising that constructing the school using basic materials such as wood and metal sends a powerful message about the importance of continuing education regardless of the circumstances, Afane said they strive to establish educational facilities by reusing wooden materials delivered to Gaza as part of humanitarian aid efforts. 

Afane noted that this approach was adopted to overcome the difficulties in bringing construction materials into Gaza. He also stressed that the Turkish people and government continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza. 

In his statement, Jawad Sheikh Khalil, Director of Education and Teaching in Western Gaza, said the newly opened school would serve more than 1,200 students, with approximately 30 staff members working under the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education. 

Sheikh Khalil noted that thousands of students still lack access to suitable learning facilities and stated that they are cooperating with humanitarian organisations to ensure the continuity of education. 

He reported that more than 90 per cent of schools in Gaza have been destroyed during Israeli attacks, while those that remain standing have been converted into shelters for displaced people. He further stated that more than 21,000 students had been killed during the war, and that over 10 students had lost their lives in schools or on their way to school in just the past few days. 

Sheikh Khalil explained that efforts are underway to establish temporary schools near areas where displaced people are staying, to minimise the risks students and teachers face while travelling to educational facilities.