New York: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA ) announced a reduction in school days in the West Bank to four days per week instead of five until the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, as part of austerity measures adopted earlier this year amid a severe financial crisis.
In a statement published on its official website, UNRWA said the decision is part of a broader package of measures across its five fields of operation aimed at ensuring the continuation of essential services for Palestine refugees. It added that staff working hours would also be reduced by 20 percent, including in the education sector, to maintain minimum continuity of the learning process.
The agency stressed that these measures are temporary and time-bound until the end of the current year, reaffirming its commitment to avoiding any disruption to its vital services.
UNRWA, which provides assistance and services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and across the region, has been facing a financial crisis since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on Gaza, following allegations by Israel that some agency staff were involved in the events in Gaza, claims the UN agency has denied.
