Palestinian refugees from Syria struggle to attend Gaza's universities
Palestinian university students who fled the violence in Syria are facing many difficulties in the Gaza Strip, as the authorities have backtracked on promises to exempt them from fees.
Palestinian university students who recently escaped the cycle of violence in Syria and fled to the Gaza Strip are facing many difficulties meeting their educational needs in Gaza. Meanwhile, their families are suffering from a number of problems stemming from the lack of job opportunities and sources of income for their basic needs.
Although Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh promised that these students would be offered grants and fee exemptions to complete their studies, these promises have yet to be fulfilled. Consequently, many students had to drop out of college due to the high fees.
According to Atef al-Amawi, the chair of the follow-up committee for the refugees coming from Syria, about 270 Palestinian families have fled the camps in Syria and come to the Gaza Strip. Among the refugees’ children are 40 students seeking to complete their university education at the Palestinian universities in Gaza.
“Unfortunately, the government has not fulfilled its duties to guarantee an education for our refugee children,” Amawi wistfully told Al-Monitor.
