On the international day to protect education from attack, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) condemns rising numbers of attacks against educational personnel, facilities and students, and calls on all parties to uphold children’s right to learn in safety.
Attacks on education have been on the rise. In 2022 and 2023, 3,250 attacks on schools were reported, mostly in Gaza and Ukraine, but also in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Yemen. 2024 saw approximately of 90% of Gaza’s schools and 3,800 of Ukraine’s schools damaged or destroyed, while the number of attacks on education in Sudan has increased fourfold since the start of the conflict.
Attacks on education have serious, long-term physical and psychological impacts on children and their communities. Education is vital for post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding. During crises, schools can provide safe refuge for children and their teachers. Instead, they are frequently targeted or damaged in the crossfire, with dire consequences for students and their communities. Without education, children living in conflict zones will grow up without the skills they need to build their future and contribute to their countries’ recovery, economic prosperity and peace.
Despite 120 states signing on to the Safe Schools Declaration since 2015, students and teachers living in war zones deserve better protection. This global political commitment must be translated into action.
At GPE, we stand for quality education for every child, even when they face dire circumstances. At the onset of a crisis, we work swiftly with partners to maintain education services or resume them as soon as feasible and adapt our funding and programs. When violence forces families to flee across borders, we work with host countries to ensure refugee children have a place in national education systems.
Education is not only the essential stepping stone to rebuild societies post-crisis, but also the solid foundation from which to make sure these societies remain stable, peaceful and more equitable in the future.
