About 56 percent of the UNRWA schools are working double shift (72 percent in Gaza Strip, 83 percent in Jordan, 57 percent in Syria, while in Lebanon only 3 percent and in the West Bank 2 percent). The existence of a double shift system indicates a shortage in schools and staff members. In the last five years, UNRWA has reduced its educational staff by 12 percent in comparison to the scholastic year 2017/2018, although student enrollment numbers have increased by 3.4 percent. This has been the most felt in Gaza, where staff numbers declined by 820 persons at 8 percent, while students increased by 6 percent. For Lebanon, the staff declined at 16 percent with a 5 percent for the students in 2021/2022 in comparison to 2017/2018. As for Jordan, there was an 11 percent decline in the staff with a 2 percent increase in the students. Student numbers in the West Bank and Syria declined at 4 percent each in the same period although the decline in the staff was 16 percent and 19 percent respectively. Table 2.9: UNRWA Schools, Staff, Pupils, and Sex by Region, 2021/2022300 UNRWA Number Number Fields of of of Staff Operations Schools Jordan Lebanon Syria West Bank Gaza Strip Total Percentage Female Staff Number of Students Percentage Vocational Number of Female Training Students Students301 Centers at Training Centers 161 4,560 51.1 119,780 48 2 2,940 65 1,790 59.2 39,140 52 1 718 102 1,880 63.3 49,430 49 1 1,400 96 2,210 60.6 46,070 60 2 1,000 278 9,440 64.0 290,290 48 2 1,860 702 19,880 60.1 544,710 50 8 7,930 2.3.3. Health Indicators in UNRWA’s Five Areas of Operation UNRWA has 140 supervised health facilities and other medical centers. It also facilitates some services through existing health centers in the host countries as UNRWA does not operate its hospitals (except Qalqilya hospital in the West Bank). 299 UNRWA, Statistics Bulletin (n 232). Ibid. 301 The percentage of female students and number of vocational training centers refers to the scholastic year of 2020/2021, see UNRWA, Statistics Bulletin (n 232); UNRWA, UNRWA in Figures (n 233). 300 61 Chapter The drop-out rate among Palestinian refugees is quite low, augmenting the argument that education is perceived as important by Palestinian refugees and as worth investing in. Approximately 99 percent of pupils remain in primary education across the five regions, where the West Bank has the highest rate of 99.2 percent and Lebanon has the lowest of 96.6 percent. 2 trainees. In the past year, 4,422 trainees graduated from the technical and vocational training educational centres.299