GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Diaa Khalil of Gaza City started sending his son, who is a second-grader, to the Ibad al-Rahman private school in Gaza because he believes private schools are the best option in light of overcrowded classrooms in the government and in United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools.

Khalil, a journalist from Gaza, told Al-Monitor he pays $1,200 annually for his son’s education and he is comfortable with it, even though public schools charge parents only a token amount and UNRWA schools are free.

“I believe I am making a good investment," he explained. "I am buying comfort for my son and making sure he will love school and refuse to move to a different one. I enrolled him in a private school because I don’t believe education in UNRWA schools is useful at this time, especially with the high level of classroom occupancy.

"In fact, in private schools, there are 14 students in each classroom, while in public and UNRWA schools, this number can reach 50 students per class. I wanted him to be in a privileged school with few students in the classroom, where he will receive great attention from the teachers and the administration.”