Poll: 82% of Israeli students can’t focus during Iran war

Responding to a survey, only 6% of students said they can study effectively during the ongoing conflict.

By World Israel News Staff

The vast majority of Israel’s college and university students are struggling to focus on their studies amid the ongoing war with Iran, as school closures, repeated overnight air raid sirens, and the emotional toll of the conflict disrupt daily life.

A poll by the Israeli Students’ Union, which surveyed 1,220 higher education students across the country, found that 82 percent reported being unable to focus on their studies. Only 6% of respondents said they were able to study effectively.

Among the challenges cited by students were difficulty concentrating (64 percent), exhaustion (61%), and stress and anxiety, which were reported by 55 percent of respondents.

As Israel endures frequent missile attacks from Iran and its Lebanon-based proxy Hezbollah, all educational institutions across the country remain closed.

The schools were abruptly shut in late February following the outbreak of the war.

More than half of students — 59% — said they had been unable to take a previously scheduled exam due to the sudden closure of campuses.

Slightly less than half — 42% — reported that they feared the war would negatively impact their academic progress and grades.

“The consequences of the war are clearly felt among the student community,” Sivan Korin, chairperson of the Israeli Students Union, said in a media statement. “Many were unable to take exams, and the mental strain is felt in their study routine and lives.”

Korin urged academic institutions to take the security situation and its impact on students into account and work with them to ensure they are appropriately accommodated in order to minimize the negative impact on their studies.

The challenges faced by students who were drafted to reserve duty are also of particular importance, Korin said.

“Alongside this, a large portion of students are currently on the front lines in the reserves, volunteering and contributing to the daily effort to maintain a routine of life,” Korin added. “Therefore, the academic system must also continue to adapt itself to this reality.”