Palestine*

2025 developments at a glance

Political and economic landscape
By early 2026, Gaza’s economy has suffered one of the deepest contractions recorded globally, with GDP shrinking by over 80% in 2024 and remaining extremely depressed in 2025. Poverty and unemployment have reached unprecedented levels, with Gaza’s unemployment rate estimated at 78% at end‑2025 and the West Bank facing continued labour‑market disruption. Around 1.7 million people remain internally displaced across Gaza. 

Education system under severe strain
Around 97% of school buildings in Gaza are damaged or destroyed, and an estimated 439,000 school‑age children—two‑thirds of the total—remain without access to formal schooling. Temporary learning spaces, hybrid delivery and community‑run initiatives have been scaled up, but learning loss continues to accumulate. In the West Bank, access to schooling is increasingly affected by mobility and security restrictions. 

VET and skills development
Structural reforms initiated before the war—such as the National TVET Commission, the adoption of competency‑based approaches and the integration of work‑based learning—continue where possible. However, VET infrastructure in Gaza has suffered severe damage (12 of 17 VET units affected), and mobility restrictions in the West Bank also limit access to training and WBL. Despite these challenges, tracer evidence shows VET graduates still tend to fare better than university graduates in accessing employment. 

Governance and reform momentum
Work on the National Qualifications Framework has progressed, with the White Paper approved, manuals produced for accreditation and validation, and governance options under review. Sector Skills Councils are being piloted, though overall system fragmentation—exacerbated by the proposed dissolution of the National TVET Commission—continues to affect coherence and planning. 

Labour market and employment
An estimated 550,000 jobs have been lost since October 2023 across Gaza, the West Bank and among workers formerly employed in Israel. NEET rates remain extremely high and vulnerable employment continues to rise. In Gaza, the labour market functions at a minimal level, driven mainly by humanitarian distribution and emergency cash‑for‑work schemes. In the West Bank, mobility restrictions and closures hamper economic activity and access to jobs. 

Digital learning and skills
Digital platforms remain a crucial tool, particularly in emergency response. The UNRWA Digital Learning Platform and the Palestinian eSchool continue to support learners where connectivity permits. Higher‑education providers have expanded hybrid approaches, and several initiatives target digital entrepreneurship and online work skills. 

Resilience, recovery and reconstruction
Education and training initiatives increasingly focus on recovery planning: temporary learning spaces, psychosocial support, alternative certification pathways, and skills for reconstruction. Funding gaps, however, remain severe: the 2026 UN Flash Appeal for education is only marginally funded, limiting scale‑up.

Priorities for 2026:

👉 Safeguard the continuity of learning across Gaza and the West Bank, scaling temporary learning spaces, hybrid delivery, community‑based initiatives and psychosocial support, while preparing for eventual system‑wide recovery. 
👉 Support the reconstruction of the education and training system in Gaza, including debris clearance, rehabilitation of schools and VET centres, and the restoration of basic services indispensable for reopening learning facilities.
👉 Advance the National Qualifications Framework and related governance reforms, enabling transparent qualification pathways, RPL mechanisms and improved alignment with labour‑market needs. 
👉 Strengthen VET governance and system coherence, supporting dialogue structures such as Sector Skills Councils and enhancing coordination despite institutional fragmentation. 
👉 Improve labour‑market intelligence and employment services, including the LMIS, digital job‑matching tools and skills‑anticipation mechanisms to support recovery planning. 
👉 Expand digital learning and skills programmes, supporting teachers, learners and institutions to use digital platforms effectively in disrupted environments and to develop skills relevant to the digital and green economy. 
👉 Protect vulnerable groups, including young children, women, people with disabilities and displaced populations, by ensuring accessible, inclusive education and training opportunities.