Burkina Faso, a West African country that has been labeled as the “world’s most neglected crisis,” is facing a severe education crisis as a quarter of its schools remain closed due to escalating violence between militants and the government.
According to a recent report, the number of closed schools in the country has risen by nearly a third in the past year, reaching a staggering total of 6,149, impacting nearly one million students.
The surge in violence in Burkina Faso is a direct consequence of the coup that took place last year. The military government, which assumed power after the coup, launched an offensive against militant groups operating in the region. However, this offensive has resulted in allegations of human rights abuses from all sides involved, further exacerbating the already dire situation.
Dr. John Agbor, the country director for the UN’s children’s agency, Unicef, has expressed concern over the high number of children who are now out of school due to the prevailing insecurity. He emphasizes that the future of Burkina Faso’s next generation is at stake, as children who are deprived of an education are more likely to be forced into labor, recruited by armed groups, or fall victim to sexual abuse, exploitation, gender-based violence, or early marriage.
The report, jointly released by the Norwegian Refugee Council and UN agencies, highlights the alarming fact that Burkina Faso now accounts for almost half of the 13,200 schools closed in central and West Africa over the past four years due to insecurity.
Anika Krstic, the Country Director for Burkina Faso at the NRC, has reported that the conditions in schools that have remained open are poor, and few teachers remain. Krstic stated that those who have stayed have done so as a personal decision, feeling that it is their duty to continue, but at a heavy price. Gunshots sometimes interrupt classes or play.
A report examining data from eight countries has called on governments and the international community to prioritize negotiations to ensure that school buildings occupied during fighting are quickly vacated and to focus on making schools safe. The report found that only 3.9% of funding appeals for schooling in the region had been met by donors.
The report also found that while many schools had to be abandoned due to nearby fighting, some were targeted. In Nigeria, 52 schools have been attacked by militants since January, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has seen a sharp rise in violence in the eastern part of the country, the number is 31.
Felicité Tchibindat, Unicef’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, stated that protecting schools from threats and violence is a critical step in breaking the cycle of crisis and reducing the likelihood of future conflicts. Schools should be safe places for children.
Last week, Vishna Shah, Save the Children’s Regional Director of Advocacy and Campaigns, stated that armed violence in the Sahel is robbing children of their education and futures. Attacks on schools must stop now, and children and teachers need to be able to attend school without fear of violence.
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