In Southern Lebanon, Yara Ajami, an eight-year-old girl, started the school year this week in a classroom without doors and windows, as her school has been destroyed due to an Israeli attack.
Yara's elementary school in Burj Qalaouiyeh, known for its high educational quality, was attacked in May. This attack occurred two months after Hezbollah Lebanon dragged the country into a war in the Middle East by attacking Israel.
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Difficult Conditions of Returning to School
Yara said, "We are happy to be back at school, but we were happier before. We used to always draw and play, but now there are no desks and chairs." She made this statement while climbing the bare concrete stairs.
Yara and the other students were directed to a nearby structure that is still under construction instead of the old school building. This building is set to be dedicated to preschool students. Sunlight shines through the windowless openings into the unfinished classrooms, while outside, piles of twisted iron rods have sunk into the ground.
Bitter Memories and Educational Challenges
Many students have come from areas affected by Israeli attacks, and most of them have been displaced during the war. Some, like Yara, have returned to their damaged or destroyed homes. Medi, the school principal, said in the schoolyard, "Sadness is seen in their eyes; each of them has a story."
The school had 600 students before the war, and now 250 students are enrolled. The recent war began following Hezbollah's attack on Israel in support of Tehran, and Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion, resulting in the deaths of over 4,300 people, including 261 children.
UNIFIL has reported that nearly 100,000 students in Lebanon have been unable to return to their schools due to damage, destruction, insecurity, or displacement. Additionally, 436 schools have been damaged due to the war, and 37 schools have been completely destroyed.
Teacher Huda Najdi emphasized the importance of continuing education to her students, saying, "My home was destroyed, and my school too... but the students give us the strength to continue."
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