Africa, 2.5 million children without school, blocked by wars and violence of all kinds

ROMA – In West and Central Africa, more than 14,000 schools have been forced to close as of June 2024 due to violence and insecurity, with a major negative impact on the education and learning capabilities of hundreds of thousands of children across the region, the UN agency said. Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). When children’s right to education is not protected, the future of an entire generation hangs in the balance.

Nel Sahel. In Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, school closures affected millions of children in 2023. When children stop going to school in countries where conflict is a daily reality, they are at risk of being recruited by armed groups or exposed to child labor, physical violence and sexual exploitation. “Every day a child is kept out of school is a day stolen from their future and the future of their communities,” said Hassane Hamadou, NRC Country Director for West and Central Africa. In Cameroon, the combined effects of three simultaneous humanitarian crises left 1.4 million school-age children out of school in 2023. And in 2024, things are not changing.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Violence and intercommunal tensions have forced the closure of 1,457 schools since the beginning of 2024, affecting over 500,000 students and 12,700 teachers. Armed groups continue to occupy school buildings and use them for military purposes. The ongoing attacks on education have far-reaching consequences. Without immediate action, the NGO writes, the Sahel region risks losing an entire generation of educated youth and adults, which can lead to severe long-term socioeconomic impacts. Girls are particularly at risk of forced marriage and exploitation, further exacerbating gender and social inequalities. The recruitment of children by armed groups, on the other hand, not only disrupts their education, but also reduces their chances of returning to school and increases their vulnerability to violence and exploitation. All of these elements trigger cycles of poverty and ongoing instability across the region.

Bglimmers of hope. In Mali and the Central African Republic, the number of attacks on education decreased between 2022 and 2023, thanks to a decline in violence in some areas of these countries. In Burkina Faso, around 1,300 schools reopened this year in several government-controlled areas, allowing thousands of children to return to class. “The reopening of schools in Burkina Faso and the reduction in attacks on education in Mali and the Central African Republic show that progress can be made,” Hamadou continued. “We must build on this momentum to ensure that all children have access to safe and inclusive quality education.”

General data. In 24 countries in West and Central Africa, more than 14,364 schools have been closed due to armed violence, according to the recent regional situation report by Education in Emergencies Working Group for West and Central Africa: an increase from 2023, when 13,200 schools closed. Last year, one in four schools, out of a total of 6,149, were closed in Burkina Faso, the UN agency documents.UNICEFwhile across the Sahel region 2.5 million children have been left at home. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, 1,457 schools have been closed since January and over 500,000 students and 12,700 teachers have had to interrupt lessons. According to the latest dossier by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), the number of closed schools in Mali and the Central African Republic decreased between 2022-2023. According to data provided in this report, which refers to those of the Ministry of Education in Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso around 1,300 schools reopened between October 2023 and June 2024.