The Gaza Chronicles: Education in the Time of Genocide

The aim of genocide is not only to decimate a population, but also to destroy its future, mowing down generations to eradicate their culture, traditions, and identities. Education is perhaps one of the highest forms of resistance to this erasure. It empowers, inspires, and allows a people to hold onto their dignity, their past, and their future.

Despite the extreme challenges of occupation, blockades, and decades-long ethnic cleansing, Palestinians place a high value on education. According to UNESCO and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), the overall adult literacy rate in Palestine (for people aged 15 and above) is over 97%. And in terms of higher education, a significant portion of the population pursues university education, with around 30-35% of Palestinians aged 18-24 enrolling in tertiary education, including universities and colleges. As a comparison, the university enrollment rate for the same age group in the United States was 39% in 2022.

In this episode of our Gaza Chronicles series, we speak to two powerhouses who are champions of education, as well as beacons of resistance and hope for Palestine in their own way. Deya’ Leonard Dresner, Founder and Executive Director of the Leonard Education Organization (LE•O), and Israa’ Ali, Founder of Ahfad Al Zaytoun, are both dedicated to providing hundreds of students in the region with educational opportunities and the nurturing and support they need to succeed.

In conversation with AFF CEO Naila Farouky, they discuss issues such as the challenges of ensuring education survives as the bombs fall, the achievements of their students in the face of devastating odds, and their hopes for what happens next.