In southern Lebanon, eight-year-old Yara Ajami started the academic year in a doorless, windowless classroom after her school was destroyed by an Israeli strike. The school, located in Burj Qalaway, was struck by Israel in May, two months after the Israeli army escalated its routine ceasefire violations into an all-out invasion of Lebanon. Ajami and her classmates were diverted to a nearby structure still under construction that was being built to house preschoolers.
The school, well known in the area for its excellence, previously had 600 students, but now around 250 students are registered in the 24-classroom school. The students come from areas heavily hit by Israeli attacks, and most were displaced during the war, with some - like Ajami - returning to find their homes damaged or destroyed. Many of Burj Qalaway's children were unable to start the school year, either still displaced or afraid to return to the town, less than a kilometre from Israeli troops occupying a swathe of the south.
School principal May Mehdi expressed happiness that the students are back, but noted that there is sadness in their eyes, each one having a story to tell. Mehdi showed AFP on her phone what the school, her pride, once looked like. The school previously boasted a laboratory, a computer room and an interactive room. Government-funded prefabricated units are being installed on the school premises where rubble has not yet been cleared.
The disruption extends far beyond Burj Qalaway, with nearly 100,000 students in Lebanon unable to return to their schools for the academic year due to damage, destruction, insecurity, or displacement, according to UNICEF. The UNICEF report also said 436 schools were damaged by the war, while 37 were completely destroyed. Since the war resumed, Israel has launched a ground invasion and killed more than 4,300 people, including 261 children, according to Lebanese authorities.
Teacher Hoda Najdi gave her class while emphasising to her students the importance of continuing their education and achieving good results despite the difficult circumstances. Najdi's home was destroyed and so was her school, but she said the students give her the strength and will to continue. Student Mohammed Mozannar, who was displaced from one place to another in Beirut during the war, said he was very happy to be back to make up for the lost year.
However, the return to school also brought back painful memories for some students, like 14-year-old Rawan Fakih. Fakih remembered the activities they used to do, the stress of exams, and her friend who was killed by an Israeli strike. Despite the challenges, students and teachers are trying to move forward, with some schools in the south converted into shelters, where displaced people and students share the space.
On Thursday, an Israeli strike hit Qantara, a nearby village, highlighting the ongoing security concerns in the region. Rights groups have accused Israel of committing war crimes during its war on Lebanon, including systematically destroying villages in the south, such as homes, schools, places of worship, and water and electricity infrastructure.
Key points
- Nearly 100,000 students in Lebanon were unable to return to school due to damage, destruction, insecurity, or displacement.
- 436 schools were damaged and 37 completely destroyed in the war.
- Israel's war on Lebanon has killed over 4,300 people, including 261 children.
