A Grim Consequence of Rising Violence
An alarming surge in violence across the Sahel region, encompassing Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, has led to a sharp increase in school closures, with nearly 7,800 primary schools shutting their doors. Save the Children reports that these closures have spiked by 20% in the past year alone, putting an additional 200,000 children out of school.
Education at Risk in the Sahel
As of June 2023, approximately 1.4 million children in the Sahel lack access to education and the essential skills required for full engagement in their communities as adults. This stands in stark contrast to June of the previous year when around 6,400 primary schools had closed, impacting approximately 1.2 million children.
International Day for the Protection of Schools from Attack
On the occasion of the International Day for the Protection of Schools from Attack, Save the Children is urgently appealing to governments and stakeholders to take decisive measures to safeguard children’s education in the Sahel.
Their call to action includes robust support for the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, which serves as a commitment and framework to empower nations to safeguard education in fragile environments.
Fear and Violence Deter Education
The surge in violence in the Sahel has instilled fear in both children and teachers, making them reluctant to attend school. There have been reports of armed groups directly targeting schools, resulting in extensive damage to school buildings.
Additionally, many children have been displaced within the region due to the conflict, denying them access to education.
A Region in Crisis
Burkina Faso reports the highest number of primary school closures, with 5,318 schools shutting down, followed by Mali with 1,545 closures and Niger with 958. Thirteen-year-old Mohamed, who fled his home due to instability and now resides in Pissila, Burkina Faso, shared his heart-wrenching experience:
“We fled our village because of insecurity. And I don’t have any papers on me to prove that I went to school elsewhere. We left everything there when we fled. Honestly, when I go to bed at night, I can’t even fall asleep.”
“When I think that I won’t be able to do what I used to do, it really hurts my heart. I think this situation compromises my life because school was going to improve my life, but now we can’t go anymore.”
Tragedy Unfolding
Tragically, many children in the Sahel region have suffered injuries, loss of life, or have witnessed horrifying attacks. Twelve-year-old Moussa, from Tillaberi in Niger, recounted a terrifying incident:
“… they threw something, and when it exploded everyone panicked. People were in the bush, others at home but we were at school. Some crawled back into the classrooms, others ran in all directions, and others hid in the classrooms. I crawled home. I found that people had locked themselves in and little children were crying.”
A Wider Education Crisis
This surge in violence compounds an existing crisis across West and Central Africa, where children’s education has been severely impacted. In 2022, reports indicated that a staggering 57 million children in Central and West Africa were unable to attend school, representing nearly a quarter of all children globally.
A Call for Protection
Currently, 17 out of 27 states have pledged their commitment to the Safe Schools Declaration. Vishna Shah, Regional Director of Advocacy and Campaigns for Save the Children, delivered a compelling message:
“Armed violence in the Sahel is robbing children of their education and futures. Attacks on schools must stop now. Children and teachers need to be able to attend school without fear of violence. Children’s education cannot be put on hold.”
“Governments and stakeholders in the Sahel must do all they can to protect children’s right to an education, including implementing the Safe School Declaration and its guidelines.”
Sources: THX News & Save the Children.
