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Under repression and war in Palestine, teachers are the backbone of the education system and the international solidarity of education unions continues to be a lifeline for many. In Palestine, teachers have not received their salaries for more than 15 months due to withheld public incomes by the Israeli government. They also continue live and work under occupation and military attacks. Despite the war and genocide, the General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT) has successfully implemented an innovative programme to strengthen digital education, women’s leadership, and trade union capacity and resilience.

The three-year project reached 416 educators, delivering measurable improvements in teacher well-being, gender equality, digital skills, and union engagement. Its outcomes confirm that education unions play a critical role not only in defending rights, but in sustaining education itself during crisis.

Powerful and positive testimonials from teachers

Participants described the programme as transformational at both professional and personal levels. They also highlighted increased confidence, emotional resilience, and the ability to manage stress and responsibility under extremely difficult conditions.

Many reported a significant shift from using basic tools to confidently integrating digital and AI based applications into their teaching, making learning more interactive and inclusive.

The training also deepened their understanding of gender justice, empowering women educators to see themselves as leaders rather than passive actors.

Several teachers emphasised that, for the first time, they fully understood their rights, the role of their union, and the strength of collective action.

Participants went on noting that the programme strengthened solidarity and highly contributed to renewed trust in the union at a time of prolonged salary delays and crisis.

As GUPT General Secretary Saed Erziqat explained, the partnership with other education unions globally and their “unwavering commitment to Palestinian educators” “has played a vital role in the successful implementation and sustainability of this transformative project.”

He added: “We were able to design and implement comprehensive training initiatives that strengthen teachers’ digital capacity, social-emotional competencies, gender awareness, educational justice practices, and trade union engagement. The impact of this partnership has been both measurable and deeply meaningful for educators working under extremely challenging circumstances.”

Echoing international teacher working standards

It is also noticeable that the GUPT programme is in line with UN recommendations on the teaching profession recognising that the persistent and increasing teacher shortages are exacerbated by the enormous hardships faced by teachers working in crisis contexts.

With financial support from Education International’s member organisations, the GUPT’s programme plans to continue in the coming years.