Request support on coordination, information management, capacity development or other education in emergencies areas.
Demande de soutien en coordination, gestion de l’information, développement des capacités et autres domaines de l'éducation en situation d'urgence.
لطلب الدعم في مجال التنسيق ، إدارة المعلومات ، تنمية القدرات أو في اي مجال من مجالات التعليم في مناطق الطوارئ
Solicitar apoyo en coordinación, gestión de la información, desarrollo de capacidades u otra áreas en educación en emergencias.
In Gaza and Sudan, two of the world’s most harrowing humanitarian catastrophes, the right to learn has become an act of defiance.
For over two years, as bombs rained from the sky and conflict zones expanded, thousands of students, supported by their teachers, communities, Education Clusters and their partners, fought for one thing above all: the chance to sit for their final exams.
But how does learning continue during war? And why, amid life-threatening circumstances and near-insurmountable hurdles, do students and families still demand education?
Their stories reveal why the right to an education needs to remain a fundamental priority in the humanitarian response, and how the sector can honor the resilience of communities and children’s unbreakable will to learn.
GAZA
When the time came for Palestine’s national Tawjihi exams at the end of the school year, the demand from students and families was relentless. Despite displacement, lack of humanitarian aid, destroyed schools, and living under constant fear, parents and children alike insisted the exams must take place. “It was a miracle that this happened,” said Palestine Education Cluster Coordinator, Fred Mugabi. “And it happened for one simple reason: community demand. It became a story of perseverance and incredible determination from Gaza's young population to [exercise] the right to education even in the hardest times of their lives.”
In Palestine, the Tawjihi is more than a test. It symbolizes achievement, belonging, and a rite of passage that leads to higher education and future opportunities for young people. In fact, during the war, students wanted to join higher education institutions remotely, but they needed to take the national exam first. As one student put it: “My only dream is to take the Tawjihi exam so I can continue my education.”
But organizing paper-based national exams in a war zone was nearly impossible. 97% of schools have been damaged or destroyed since 2023. Conducting exams in temporary learning spaces was considered too risky due to the fluid and unpredictable situation at the time, and there was no capacity to undertake large-scale printing in Gaza. So, the Cluster and its partners looked for alternative solutions that would allow students to take the exam electronically.
An electronic format was preferred by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to allow for easier assessment and grading with fewer staff, who could be supported by teams in the West Bank, whereas many teachers in Gaza, who were unpaid, would be unable to commit to supporting paper-based examinations. The Cluster identified 77 temporary learning spaces and worked to install internet connections so the exams could take place online. And finally, the Cluster worked with counterparts to procure 7,000 tablets for students – but the shipment was blocked from entering Gaza.
“My only dream is to take the Tawjihi exam so I can continue my education.”
The Cluster moved onto Plan B: mobilizing. Teachers volunteered without pay to help students review the material. Partner organizations shared the Wi-Fi connection they had on their premises. The Ministry of Education focused on the technical aspects, developing an online platform that would host the exam and running a pilot test to ensure the platform was usable for students. The Cluster and partners engaged in community outreach so each family had the schedule and links for the exams.
The results? 80% of students in the first cohort (2023–2024) and 71% in the second (2024–2025) sat for the Tawjihi exams.
The Education Cluster attributes this achievement to the close coordination between partners, the Ministry, families and teachers - but it’s also a testament to the endurance of the students and value of education in the community. “Education in emergencies is not a luxury,” Mugabi said. “It’s a lifeline that we must always fight for. It represents dignity, purpose, and hope for young people who have lost so much.”
Click on the image to watch the full Gaza presentation
SUDAN
In Sudan, where war has torn through regions and communities since April 2023, one of the most powerful acts of resistance hasn’t come from a battlefield, but from children and families who refused to surrender their right to education.
For Sudanese families, education is not simply about learning: it is a passage of life and pride for the family. “Once you say, my daughter is grade 12, my son is grade 12, their status changes, their outlook in life changes, and their marriage negotiations change,” especially for girls, says says Daniel Baheta, Chief of Education, UNICEF Port Sudan.
Yet when war erupted, that future nearly evaporated. More than 85% of schools closed for over a year, and 40% remain shuttered today. Over 1.1 million students were waiting to take their final exams - the key to graduating and continuing their studies - but the country was split by frontlines. While the exams were being organized by national authorities, areas under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) remained inaccessible to the central government.
For many students, especially those in conflict hotspots, reaching an exam center meant a harrowing journey. Students under 18 traveled for 14-29 days, traversing conflict zones, checkpoints and militia-controlled areas. Once they arrived, there were absolutely no resources available, including shelter and food.
At first, holding the exams was deemed too high a risk, and there were also political sensitivities to navigate. But UNICEF and the Sudan Education Cluster stood with the children and families and started to undertake the daunting task of supporting the administration of exams.
Working with local education groups and other Clusters, UNICEF and the Sudan Education Cluster coordinated efforts to support the set-up of exams, safe passage routes and provision of accommodation, water, sanitation, and psychosocial support for students, especially adolescent girls and displaced learners. More than 114,000 internally displaced students, including many who had crossed conflict lines were provided with temporary accommodation.
Once the exams started, they set up daily monitoring and referrals from child protection actors on the ground who were sharing information.
For many students, especially those in conflict hotspots, reaching an exam center meant a harrowing journey. Students under 18 traveled for 14-29 days, traversing conflict zones, checkpoints and militia-controlled areas.
The first round of exams, announced by the government in October, took place from December 2024 to January 2025. Despite the short timeline and impossible odds, 250,000 students sat for the exams with a 70% pass rate.
By the second round from June to July 2025 preparations had improved. 274,411 students registered and 2,148 exams centers were established in 10 States, including previously inaccessible sites. There was also stronger community engagement which helped provide more solutions for transportation and meals.
On top of this, 6,000 students in Chad were also eligible to sit for these exams. As a condition due to political complexities, UNICEF supported the transportation of 1,300 kg of paper to Sudan to administer the test. With support from UNHCR, and the governments of Sudan and Chad, 4,823 students from Chad sat for their exams in Sudan with a 50% pass rate.
Click on the image to watch the full Sudan presentation
Lessons from these contexts show that in the face of hunger, displacement, devastation and fear, the right to education is still considered paramount to communities. As the humanitarian sector undertakes reforms to become more reactive and responsive to affected populations, the asks from children and families themselves should always be the north star guiding the international response.
Mugabi summarizes: “Always consider the community voices. Many times we are told the community is demanding WASH or food - but it's education in this case. So, the community voices should always matter in how we program, and we should always be ready and willing to support that.”
