“They have a strong desire to survive and build a future for themselves and for Palestine,” says researcher Rawia Awadallah at the Department of Archivistics, Library and Information Science.
She is from Gaza and have worked at The Islamic University of Gaza. She is now employed at OsloMet through the Scholars at Risk program, which aims to protect threatened academics and promote academic freedom.
Education system under attack
The education system in Gaza has long been severely weakened due to the Israeli blockade that has lasted since 2007.
“But after October 2023, the situation has developed into what we call ‘scholasticide’,” says Awadallah.
The term refers to the systematic destruction of the education system, with attacks on schools, universities, teachers, and students. UN human rights experts share the view that this is what is happening in Gaza (news.un.org).
‘Scholasticide’ describes not only physical destruction, but also the erasure of knowledge, culture, and academic memory.
A bomb can strike at any moment, but these students say: ‘We are still here.’– Rawia Awadallah
Education during war
According to a UN report from this summer Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90 percent of school buildings across Gaza (un.org). Higher education facilities were also targeted and destroyed or damaged, affecting about 87,000 university students.
More than 57 university buildings had been destroyed, and more than 190 university academic staff were reported killed as of 25 March 2025, the UN report states.
Awadallah points out how this situation stands in stark contrast to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring learning opportunities for all.
“There are no guidelines for how this goal can be fulfilled during war. How do people learn, study, and achieve anything under such conditions?”
Motivation amid war
Despite the situation, many people in Gaza choose to study. Some continue their education through support from universities in Gaza and the West Bank. Others seek out new learning opportunities.
“We wanted to understand why. What motivates them to pursue education during the war, while living in constant danger?” asks Awadallah.
To deny people education is to take away their hope– Rawia Awadallah
Online studies aimed at employment
The project is a collaboration with other Palestinian researchers in Finland and Scotland and one Tunisian colleague. They have analyzed responses from over 500 Palestinian students and academics who participated in the initiative “Free DataCamp, Edx and Coursera memberships to Palestinian Students and Academics,” which offers free access to a wide range of online courses (napier.ac.uk.)
This is not part of the official education system in Palestine.
“These are extra courses aimed at developing skills for the job market and helping people improve their employment prospects,” explains Awadallah.
As of July 2025, more than 13400 had applied to participate.
Dangerous circumstances
However, the widespread destruction in Gaza makes access to electricity and the internet extremely difficult, making online studies a major challenge.
“Even the few open places with electricity and internet are dangerous. They can be bombed at any moment,” says Awadallah.
In addition, students must pay to access these digital hubs. With no cars or public transport, many must walk for hours to get there.
"Weakened by hunger and burdened by uncertainty about what the future will bring, and while preparing to flee, many still continue to take online courses. That tells us how strong the desire for education is."
They want to be mentally strong and contribute to rebuilding their country after the war. For them, learning is a way to survive, fight and show they haven’t given up– Rawia Awadallah
Inner drive
To investigate the students’ motivation, the researchers gave the participants a questionnaire based on Self-Determination Theory (selfdeterminationtheory.org). In addition, participants could write freely about what motivated them.
“The results show that it’s not external pressure, but an inner drive and personal desire to learn, grow, and contribute that motivates these students,” says Awadallah.
The researchers identified seven types of motivation.
“Five of these are known from previous research, but two are new and very prominent in our findings,” says Awadallah.
Resistance and protest
One of the new types of motivation is directly related to the war. Many see learning as a form of protest – as part of the resistance against the war and the occupation.
“They want to be mentally strong and contribute to rebuilding their country after the war. For them, learning is a way to survive, fight and show they haven’t given up,” says Awadallah.
Studying gives a sense of control and meaning in a chaotic reality, she explains.
“A bomb can strike at any moment, but these students say: ‘We are still here.’”
A duty to God
The second new type of motivation the researchers found is rooted in religion and faith.
“Religion is important for many Palestinians. They believe God will hold them accountable for how they have spent their time on earth and that their efforts will be rewarded,” explains Awadallah.
She says faith is crucial for many during war because it provides hope and meaning.
“The Quran says we are on earth to build it, and many of these students see it as their responsibility and duty to God – even during war – to help build the world through education.”
Not everyone has the opportunity
Awadallah says it’s important not to romanticize the students who continue their studies during the war.
“It could obscure the gravity of the situation. We want to highlight what they must sacrifice to access their basic rights and how crucial it is to get a final end to this war.”
And even though many are motivated, far from everyone has the opportunity.
“Poverty, family responsibilities and lack of resources make it hard for many people to prioritize education, says Awadallah.
In addition, she explains, girls are often deprioritized when resources are scarce, and cultural norms make it difficult for women to move freely and safely if they want to access places with electricity and internet.
Keeping hope alive
Awadallah believes that an unfair divide arises between those who are able to pursue education – and through it, find meaning and hope – and those who are left behind without opportunities.
“To deny people education is to take away their hope.”
She argues that fulfilling the UN’s education goal means confronting its most difficult test: ensuring learning continues even amid war.
“Gaza is not an exception but a mirror reflecting how fragile this global commitment is”, she says.
She calls for ambitious research, larger initiatives, and international cooperation.
"We need to develop education models that can withstand war – that include everyone and keep hope alive. Only then will we truly honor the promise of education for all.
New project aims to strengthen education in war zones
Rawia Awadallah is the project manager for another initiative aimed specifically at supporting higher education institutions affected by war and occupation.
The project Urban resilience through open science, education, and community engagement in war regions (FORWARD) seeks to strengthen cities and local communities in Ukraine and Palestine, enhancing their ability to manage crises and build a sustainable future.
In addition, the project will contribute to rebuilding education systems that have been damaged by war and destruction.
Reference
Tahani Aldahdouh, Khalid Dader, Alaa Aldahdouh, Rawia Awadallah og Imed Romdhani (2025). ‘Waiting for a Better Time Is a Waste of Time’: Motivations of Learning Amid the Genocide in Gaza in Light of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (link.springer.com). I Hassoun, A. (red.) War on Gaza. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham.
