عربي
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)
About 120 thousand students in will take the General Secondary Certificate Examination inside and outside Palestine in phases
The number of applicants for the General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) in the West Bank reached 52,142 students in the scholastic year 2024/2025, and 1,969 students from Gaza Strip will take the General Secondary Certificate Examination outside Palestine. While about 24,500 thousand male and female students in Gaza Strip will take Tawjihi exams online due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression since October 7th, 2023. Meanwhile, 41,000 students who were unable to register previously will be able to register for the Tahjihi exams.
About 16 thousand martyrs among students enrolled in schools in Palestine, 99% of them from Gaza Strip
The number of martyrs among students enrolled in schools in Palestine reached 16,242; 16,137 martyrs in Gaza Strip up to 15/07/2025.
Due to the ongoing aggression against Gaza Strip, it was not possible to collect data for Gaza Strip Labor Force Survey, 2024. Therefore, in the paragraphs below, we will review the fields of study and their relationship to the labor market for individuals (20-29 years old) in the West Bank only.
Business and Administration has maintained its position as the most popular major among students over the past decade.
For selected education fields in 2024, business and administration specialization is the field where most students (20-29 years) were enrolled in the West Bank, whether for intermediate diploma or a bachelor’s degree (BA). In the past decade, the majority of them also majored in business and administration.
Percentage of Individuals (20-29 years) in the West Bank with an Intermediate Diploma
or Bachelor’s Degree for Selected Education Fields by Sex in 2024
|
Field of Education |
Total |
Males |
Females |
|
Business and administration |
27.9 |
28.1 |
27.7 |
|
Health |
15.0 |
13.8 |
15.7 |
|
Education |
8.6 |
4.1 |
11.2 |
|
Engineering and engineering trades |
7.4 |
13.4 |
3.9 |
|
Law |
5.8 |
7.5 |
4.8 |
|
Languages |
4.8 |
2.1* |
6.3 |
|
Architecture and construction |
4.7 |
7.0 |
3.5 |
|
Arts |
4.0 |
3.0 |
4.6 |
|
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) |
4.0 |
5.0 |
3.5 |
|
Social and behavioral sciences |
3.7 |
3.2 |
4.0 |
|
Welfare |
3.6 |
1.3* |
4.8 |
|
Personal services |
2.5 |
3.5 |
1.9 |
|
Physical sciences |
1.7 |
1.5* |
1.9 |
(*): means variance is high for this group
Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2025. Database of Labor Force Survey, 2024. Ramallah-Palestine
Future Specialties
Global trends indicate a clear shift in the nature of specializations required in the labor market, with skills related to technology and innovation taking center stage. The demand for specializations such as computer science, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, and advanced engineering is growing as a result of rapid digital development. New fields related to climate change and sustainable energy have also emerged, such as environmental engineering and renewable energy technologies. At the same time, specializations that enhance humanistic and creative skills, such as design, entrepreneurship, and modern social sciences, continue to play an important role in building a resilient and inclusive future. These trends reflect the need for multidisciplinary competencies capable of adapting to a rapidly changing world. The following table highlights the most prominent future specializations in demand in the labor market:
|
Field |
Specializations
|
Advantages |
|
Technology and Information |
Programming, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and data analysis |
Local and global demand, remote work |
|
Applied Engineering |
Energy Engineering, Renewable Energy, Smart Power Systems Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Engineering, Modern Vehicle Engineering |
Required for infrastructure and energy projects |
|
Health |
Radiology Technician, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Mental Health, Nutrition, Chronic Diseases and Cancer |
Significant market deficit, especially within the community |
|
Smart Agriculture |
Hydroponics, Modern Irrigation Technologies |
Growing need for food security |
|
Vocational Education |
Equipment Maintenance, Electricity, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Welding |
Self-employment opportunities and reduced unemployment |
|
Digital Marketing and E-Commerce |
Digital Economy, Green Economy, Digital Campaign Design, E-Commerce Management |
Support for entrepreneurship and local and global opportunities |
|
Entrepreneurship |
Entrepreneurial Training, Business Model Development |
Increasing international and local support |
It takes about 6-12 months for graduates in the West Bank to receive their first job opportunity
For selected education fields in 2024, the highest period of unemployment for graduates (20-29 years) in the West Bank with an intermediate diploma or bachelor’s degree was in physical sciences, being 12 months. The lowest period was in personal services with about 6 months.
Period of Unemployment in Months among Individuals (20-29 years) in the West Bank with
an Intermediate Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree for Selected Education Fields, 2024
Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 2025. Database of Labor Force Survey, 2024. Ramallah-Palestine