GAZA, (PIC)
In a scene reflecting a remarkable determination to restore academic life despite the harsh reality, the experimental operation of the “University City” began in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, forming a new step toward restoring in-person education after a long interruption imposed by the war.
At the gateway of the site, features of joy were clear on the faces of the students, as many expressed their feeling that they are living through their first true university experience after more than two years of relying on e-learning.
One student says that her entry into the lecture hall constituted an exceptional moment that restored the meaning of belonging to university life for her, away from screens and the emergency conditions that accompanied the years of war, according to “Al Jazeera Net.”
This project, which was established on an area of approximately three dunums inside the displacement camps, comes as an initiative by the “Scientists Without Borders” organization, where seven classrooms were equipped using simple structures, yet they provided a basic educational environment including electricity, internet, desks, and educational boards.
The first day of operation witnessed the participation of Islamic University students, provided that the halls are opened later to students of other universities according to a coordination and scheduling mechanism, in an attempt to expand the scope of benefit from this initiative.
Students emphasized that the return to classrooms restored an atmosphere they had long missed, such as direct interaction with lecturers, discussion inside the class, and communication with colleagues. Some of them pointed out that receiving information inside the hall has become easier and clearer compared to distance learning, which lacked stability due to the weakness of the infrastructure.
For his part, a student from the Faculty of Medicine explained that the experience restored the true feeling of university life for him, especially with his ability to ask questions directly to the lecturer and interact with him, instead of being limited to communication via applications. However, he pointed out at the same time the continued need for scientific laboratories, especially for practical specializations that require field application.
For their part, academics emphasized that in-person education contributed to improving the level of understanding among students, after a difficult stage of e-learning that did not have complete tools.
They explained that interaction inside the halls helped in reducing the educational gap that resulted from the long interruption, despite the continuation of challenges, especially in the weak level of some students regarding academic terminology and the English language.
In the context, those in charge of the project pointed out that the establishment of these halls came in response to an urgent need, in light of the difficulty of students moving from the south of the Strip to Gaza City, and the accompanying financial and logistical burdens.
They showed that the goal is to provide an integrated educational environment as much as possible, while following up on observations during the experimental stage in preparation for development.
Specialists believe that e-learning, despite its importance, cannot be a complete substitute for in-person education, but rather remains a supporting option, especially in light of the technical challenges faced by students during the war, which led to a decline in the ability to follow up among a wide segment of them.
These efforts come at a time when international reports indicate the volume of the great destruction that has afflicted the higher education sector in Gaza, where the vast majority of universities and educational facilities were damaged, making the resumption of in-person study a complex challenge.
Between feelings of joy at the return of university life, and anxiety over the continued challenges, this initiative appears to be a serious attempt to rebuild the educational path for an entire generation, amidst hopes that the experience will expand and continue, to meet the needs of students in a Strip suffering from accumulated crises.
