- KSrelief initiative aims to provide safe, stable learning spaces for children affected by disruption
RIYADH: Makkah School in the southern Gaza Strip welcomed students for the new academic year this week, providing a dedicated learning environment supported by the Saudi aid agency KSrelief.
The opening day included activities to familiarize students with the school and its facilities, while health preparations were carried out ahead of the academic year. These included medical, dental and eye exams, as well as vaccinations for first-grade students in coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The school is part of a wider Saudi-backed initiative to establish and operate safe learning spaces for children affected by the disruption to education in Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The school initially accommodates 1,000 male and female students and provides 32 teaching jobs, with capacity expected to increase to 4,000 students in a later phase.
Earlier, Director of Education in eastern Khan Younis Ibrahim Ramadan said the school represents an important step toward rebuilding the education sector and resuming the educational process.
He expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia, its leadership and people, for its humanitarian efforts to support the Palestinian people, stressing that education is a message of life and the foundation for building the future.
In April, KSrelief also signed a joint executive program with the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage to establish and operate field schools and provide psychosocial support for children whose education had been disrupted.
The center, KSrelief’s implementing partner in Gaza, oversees the operation of the educational facilities. The initiative is aimed at providing children with a safer and more stable environment for their studies.
The education program forms part of broader Saudi humanitarian assistance to Gaza. In January, KSrelief distributed winter clothing to schoolchildren and kindergarten students. In June, it provided food baskets to displaced people sheltering in schools in Khan Younis.
Saudi relief efforts have also included food, shelter and other essential assistance. A new KSrelief aid convoy carrying tents arrived in Gaza last week, with the center receiving the supplies for distribution to affected families.
The latest school initiative reflects the broader focus of Saudi Arabia’s response through KSrelief on supporting essential services and helping Palestinian children maintain access to education amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
