GLOBAL CLASSROOM FOR GAZA: RECONSTRUCTING EDUCATION AND HOPE FOR PALESTINE

Abstract

The systematic destruction of educational infrastructure in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 has produced an acute “educide”  in which schools, universities, and academic communities have been dismantled, interrupting learning for an entire generation and undermining progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education). This conceptual paper proposes the establishment of a Global Classroom for Gaza as an emergency-to-recovery mechanism to sustain educational continuity and rebuild academic resilience through digitally mediated, internationally supported learning. Using a qualitative synthesis with snowball sampling of core literature on Education in Emergencies, global classroom models, digital transformation in conflict settings, and Gaza-focused scholarship, the study develops a conceptual map that consolidates design requirements into a four-pillar framework. The proposed pillars are: (1) MOOC design grounded in narrative and identity-based learning to support cultural continuity and trauma-informed engagement; (2) connectivity solutions emphasizing low-bandwidth, hybrid, and offline-capable delivery supported by community learning circles; (3) pedagogical strategies that prioritize relational ethics, psychosocial stabilization, and flexible, student-centered learning; and (4) institutional responses that operationalize academic justice through global partnerships, resource mobilization, and recognition/accreditation pathways for credits earned remotely. The paper contributes a fundamental and integrative, implementable framework to guide universities, humanitarian actors, and education authorities in designing “education without walls” under conditions of protracted conflict and infrastructure collapse. It concludes by outlining future empirical validation priorities and governance considerations for scalable deployment.