This week, 18-year-old Dana Shabat is taking her high school graduation exams, known as tawjihi, while living in a tent in Deir el-Balah, Gaza. Despite her exceptional academic record, with an average grade above 99 percent, Dana faces significant challenges due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Since the beginning of the war in October 2023, Dana has endured immense hardship, including the loss of her mother, Lina, in an Israeli strike. More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict escalated.
Dana and her family are now displaced, having lost their home in Beit Hanoon, which has been largely destroyed by Israeli forces.
With many schools in Gaza either destroyed or repurposed as shelters, Dana is taking her exams online. Each day, she wakes up before dawn, walks for an hour to a cafe with reliable internet access, and finds a spot to take her exams.
“I never imagined that the most decisive stage of my life would look like this,” Dana said, reflecting on her situation as she embarks on her daily journey with her father, Muhanna.
Approximately 37,000 Palestinian students are participating in the tawjihi exams this year. This marks the first time since the war began that the exams have been coordinated with Palestinian authorities in the West Bank, where students are taking the tests in schools and examination halls, unlike their counterparts in Gaza.
Today, Dana is sitting for her physics exam, a subject she finds challenging. “It requires intense concentration, but I studied it entirely on my own with the help of a few private tutoring sessions and YouTube videos,” she explained.
Arriving at the cafe, she finds dozens of other students already there, all waiting for the online examination portal to open.
Her father, Muhanna Shabat, has dedicated his resources to support Dana’s education, despite their dire circumstances. “I’ve sacrificed other household needs so that I could pay for private tutors to explain the subjects she struggled with,” he said.
Reflecting on their past life, he recalls a time filled with stability and comfort, which has now been replaced by living in tents with limited necessities.
Dana remains hopeful for the future, aspiring to be a community leader and make her mother proud. “I hope our suffering in these tents finally comes to an end,” she said, expressing her desire to succeed and fulfill her mother’s dreams for her.
As she navigates the challenges of her current situation, Dana's determination to excel in her education shines through, even amidst the ongoing turmoil.
