Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)

A press release on educational fields and labor market among individuals

aged (20-29 years) in 2023.

About 39 thousand students were deprived of taking the General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) in Gaza Strip

The number of applicants for the General Secondary Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) in the West Bank reached 48,777 students in the scholastic year 2023/2024, and 1,320 students from Gaza Strip will take the General Secondary Certificate Examination outside Palestine. While about 39 thousand male and female students in Gaza Strip were deprived of taking Tawjihi exams due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression since October 7^th of last year. The number of graduates of Palestinian higher education institutions reached 45,150 male and female graduates in the scholastic year 2022/2023, with 32,263 male and female graduates in the West Bank and 12,887 male and female graduates in Gaza Strip. The number of martyrs among students enrolled in schools in Palestine reached 7,62 3; 7,556 martyrs in Gaza Strip and 67 martyrs in the West Bank up to 25/06/2024.

Business and Administration is the field where most students aged (20-29 years) are enrolled in the West Bank, whether for intermediate diploma or a bachelor’s degree (BA).

For selected education fields in 2023, business and administration specialization is the field where most students aged (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. While, the highest unemployment rates among graduates aged (20-29 years) with an intermediate diploma or bachelor’s degree in the West Bank is in physical sciences.

The highest unemployment rate is among male graduates of architecture and building engineering; while female graduates of arts specialization recorded the highest unemployment rate

For selected education fields in 2023, the highest unemployment rates among male graduates aged (20-29 years) with an intermediate diploma or bachelor’s degree in the West Bank is in architecture and construction by 32%, while the highest unemployment rates among female graduates aged (20-29 years) with an intermediate diploma or bachelor’s degree in the West Bank is in arts by 59%.

Percentage of Individuals (20-29 years) in the West Bank with an Intermediate Diploma

or Bachelor’s Degree and Unemployment Rate for Selected Education Fields and Sex in 2023

A sharp increase in the unemployment rate among individuals (20-29 years old) who hold an intermediate diploma or bachelor’s degree in the West Bank. This rate reached 32% in 2023, while it was about 28% in 2022.

It takes graduates in the West Bank about 4-13 months before receiving their first job opportunity

For selected education fields in 2023, the highest period of unemployment for graduates aged (20-29 years) in the West Bank with an intermediate diploma or bachelor’s degree was in information and communication technologies (ICTs), being 13 months. The lowest period was in journalism and information with about 4 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, 2023