School Closures in Mali: Thousands of Children Deprived of Education

Six schools in the Yorosso circle were closed between 1^is and last October 30. This situation deprives more than five thousand children of education, according to the local educational activities center. In the Mopti region, out of more than two hundred closed schools, four have been reopened according to the school authorities.

On Monday, October 30, armed men on motorcycles broke into the first two cycles of the town of Boura as well as the second cycle. After some discussions with teachers, they ordered classes to be closed and the children released without incident, according to a local source.

These heavily armed men then went to the villages of Kloumassala, Koloni and Sougoudian. On site, they also demanded the immediate closure of schools, indicates the same source.

The Yorosso educational activities center (CAP) specifies that this class closure deprives more than 5,500 students of education this year.

Remember that these schools were closed for the first time in 2019. Local initiatives enabled their reopening in 2021.

Furthermore, in the Mopti region, out of more than 159 closed schools, 4 were opened this year according to the teaching academy. They specify that efforts are underway to reopen other schools.

According to UNICEF, in addition to attacks by non-state armed groups, this situation is also linked to the lack of teachers in certain localities of the country.

More than 200 schools remain closed

In the Bandiagara academy, the situation of closed schools remains worrying. Of the 765 schools in the region, 286 are non-functional. Insecurity is the reason given by education officials in the area.

Amadou Goro, Head of division, exam planning and competitions at the Bandiagara teaching academy:

Studio Tamani