During conflict, education is disrupted and education institutions often become targets, leading to a nose dive in the continuous socio-economic empowerment of the population.
In a typical scenario, this disruption is characterized by the destruction of land and physical infrastructure, the displacement of students and teachers due to insecurity, recurrent closure of schools, no teaching and learning, and worst, learners’ exposure to all forms of violence such as recruitment to become child soldiers, kidnappings, rape, forced marriages, early pregnancies, long lasting trauma and even death.
African education systems suffer greatly due to conflicts
The report Education under Attack 2018 issued by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack reveals the harrowing destruction that education systems face in the recent wars and conflicts in 18 African countries between 2013 and 2017.
The report indicates that these countries (Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan and Zimbabwe) had more than five cases of violence against their education systems within the reporting period.