Gaza Strip and West Bank

The 10-year basic education cycle is compulsory and free of charge in government and UNRWA schools. UNRWA schools cover only nine grades, so students from these schools transfer to government or private schools to complete their education. Students who successfully complete the 10-year basic education cycle are promoted to a 2-year secondary cycle.

There are two types of secondary schools: academic and vocational. Each is two years in duration. The academic secondary school program is divided into two streams: scientific and literary. The vocational secondary school program is divided into four streams: commerce, industrial, agriculture, and nursing. At the end of this cycle, students take the General Secondary School Examination (Tawjihi). Their performance on this examination affects their likelihood of being admitted to a college or university in these Palestinian territories or elsewhere in the Arab world.