Research Summary: Schooling under chronic insecurity: an ecological mixed methods study of violence in Palestinian schools

A mixed-methods study published in Frontiers in Education examines violence and school safety across Areas C and H2 of the southern West Bank. Drawing on surveys from 1,062 students across eight public schools alongside interviews with 12 teachers and seven school counsellors, the research documents acute exposure to both internal disciplinary aggression and external conflict-related events. More than half of surveyed students reported weekly exposure to teacher-to-student aggression, while nearly two-thirds reported witnessing military-related arrests at least weekly.

Why it matters

This research demonstrates that chronic insecurity and external conflict directly compound internal institutional violence, compromising educational continuity and child wellbeing. Educational infrastructure in conflict settings cannot function as a protective environment when internal behavioural norms mirror external hostility. Addressing these overlapping layers of risk is critical for sustaining basic education and human development in protracted conflict environments.

Key insights

• 53.6% of surveyed students in grades 3 through 10 reported experiencing teacher-to-student aggression at least weekly.
• 62.8% of students reported witnessing military-related arrests at least weekly within or around school environments.
• Data was gathered from 1,062 students across eight public schools, supplemented by qualitative interviews with 12 teachers and seven school counsellors.
• Students in Areas C and H2 endure multi-layered violence stemming from both internal school practices and chronic external insecurity.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1997760