Date: 28 / 01 / 2009  Time:  12:22
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

After the end of the Israeli terrorist war on Gaza Strip, hundreds of thousands of children are returning to school in Gaza, the United Nations is working to provide essential educational equipment.

In particular, UNICEF is sending materials to reestablish learning and recreational activities, create safe environments and help restore a sense of normalcy for children in Gaza, it said.

On Wednesday, UNICEF's Representative for the occupied Palestinian territories, Patricia McPhillips, visited Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, where two tents are serving as temporary learning spaces for girls, whose school was completely destroyed by the Israeli terrorist forces.

"UNICEF is working with partners to establish safe areas and to supply educational material for children in Gaza," said Ms. Patricia McPhillips. "The return to school provides an important opportunity for children to interact, play, rebuild their routines, and overcome distress."

The girls are attending classes during shifts as teachers make do with limited space due to Israel’s destruction of several UN schools. Four additional tents will be set up in the coming days to accommodate additional students.

Reports so far estimate that seven schools were completely destroyed, and many more were damaged. Educational material, including text books and stationary were also lost. Schools are operating in double - even triple shifts - to accommodate those children whose schools were destroyed.

On 26 January, UNICEF supplied Gaza with dozens of “school-in-a-box kits,” which include items such as exercise books, pens and pencils, to cater for the thousands of school-aged children in Gaza.

UNICEF said in a statement that it is concerned about the risk of unexploded ordnance (UXO) as a result of the conflict, and has advocated for the clearance of school areas as a priority. UNICEF is raising awareness of the dangers of UXO through a number of materials being distributed, the broadcasting of messages on radio spots, and the printing of UXO messages on games for children.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Education reported 80 percent attendance at their schools. Around 450,000 children attend schools in Gaza, including 373 government schools, 214 UNRWA-operated schools, and another 34 private schools. UNRWA provides schooling for over 196,000 children in Gaza.