Save the Children Report Reveals Alarming Increase in Violence Against Education in Africa Union Countries
ADDIS ABABA/Ethiopia: A stark revelation emerged during the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa as Save the Children unveiled a chilling analysis. The report showcased a staggering 20% surge in violent incidents affecting education across African Union member states in 2023, with a total of 411 reported cases.
From drone strikes targeting schools to the brutal killing of primary teachers, and even the deployment of tear gas to disperse teacher gatherings, the spectrum of violence against education is harrowing. Nigeria and Sudan bore the brunt with 89 and 55 incidents respectively, painting a grim picture of the challenges facing the education sector in these regions.
Save the Children’s analysis, based on data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Database (ACLED), delineated a distressing escalation in attacks on education year-on-year. As African leaders convened to deliberate on issues of peace, security, and development during the AU summit, the findings underscored an urgent need for action to safeguard the future of education on the continent.
In light of the AU’s designation of 2024 as the “year of Education,” Save the Children issued a resounding call for leaders to translate rhetoric into tangible measures ensuring the safety of schools for children. The organization urged AU member states to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration, an inter-governmental commitment aimed at shielding students, teachers, and educational institutions from the ravages of armed conflict.
While globally 119 states have embraced the declaration, only 37 out of the 55 AU members have followed suit, leaving a critical gap in protecting education in conflict zones. Ibrahim Zanna Sunoma, the Deputy Speaker at the National Children’s Parliament in Nigeria, passionately appealed for concrete steps to implement the 2024 year of education, drawing from his own experiences growing up amidst armed conflict.
Save the Children’s Interim Director of the Pan Africa Office and AU Representative, Mohamud Mohamed Hassan, underscored the profound repercussions of violence on education, stressing that no child should face such peril on their journey to learning. He emphasized the urgent need for a paradigm shift in ensuring the safety and accessibility of education, marking 2024 as a pivotal year for change.
As the AU summit unfolds, the imperative to confront and combat the scourge of violence against education looms large, demanding concerted efforts and unwavering commitment from African leaders to secure a brighter future for generations to come.
