45,000: The number of East Jerusalem students under Israeli curriculum

A conflict over educational control in East Jerusalem centers on a shift in curriculum and a crackdown on teacher mobility. Palestinian educators report that 180 teachers from the West Bank will lose entry permits at the end of the 2026-27 academic year. Simultaneously, the number of students following the Israeli curriculum has risen to an estimated 45,000, representing roughly 38 percent of the city's student population.

The restrictions on movement began tightening after the Gaza war started in 2023. Jamal Shalabi, a chemistry teacher from el-Bireh, has crossed checkpoints to work in East Jerusalem since 1998. He notes that new rules limit teachers to specific hours and workplaces, barring visits to Al-Aqsa Mosque and school trips. During the recent Sukkot holiday, Shalabi and other teachers were denied entry to Jerusalem for a full week. Similar delays in January and September permits triggered school strikes.

An Israeli government plan links funding for new schools to the adoption of the Israeli curriculum. The plan includes teacher training within the Israeli education system. The human rights group Ir Amim states that about half the plan’s education budget supports this expansion. The group argues the policies weaken Palestinian educational autonomy. It also warns that a law potentially barring teachers with degrees from Palestinian institutions could worsen the existing staff shortage.

Enrollment in the Israeli curriculum has grown steadily. Fifteen years ago, only hundreds of Palestinian students participated. By 2020, that number exceeded 10,000. Palestinian officials reported nearly 20,000 students in 2024. Ir Amim figures show more than 27,000 students in 2025. For the current 2026-27 school year, estimates place the total at over 45,000.

An East Jerusalem principal, who spoke anonymously due to fear of repercussions, described the changes as years of efforts to control education. He said private and community schools face threats to their funding and operating licenses. He alleged that inspections include searches of schoolbags to confiscate Palestinian textbooks. Authorities also intervene in staff appointments and target students over social media posts. Israeli authorities did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

The physical strain on the education system is measurable. Ir Amim calculates that East Jerusalem lacks 2,283 classrooms. The Jerusalem Municipality estimates the deficit at about 1,500. Ir Amim disputes the municipal figure as outdated. The group projects that even if municipal construction plans are completed, approximately 1,100 classrooms will still be missing in 2032.

Overcrowding is already affecting daily instruction. Ramadan Awad, spokesperson for the Union of Parents’ Committees for Jerusalem Schools, says some classes contain up to 42 students. This limits teachers’ ability to track individual progress. To accommodate pupils, some schools rent apartments or commercial premises. These buildings often lack courtyards, laboratories, and spaces for extracurricular activities.