11,536 Schools Shut Down In Nigeria Since December 2020 – UNICEF

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has raised concerns over the future of Nigeria due to consistent attacks on schools and other educational learning facilities, especially in the North East and the North Central regions of the country.

UNICEF noted that Nigeria ratified the Safe Schools Declaration, but that schools and students are not sufficiently protected.

It said unless greater attention is given to protecting children, teachers and schools, would continue to come under attack by bandits.

UNICEF called for urgent and coordinated action by the Federal Government to safeguard the right to learn for every child in Nigeria.

The UN agency disclosed that 11, 536 schools were shut down since December 2020 due to abductions and security issues adding that this had impacted the education of approximately 1.3 million children in the 2020/21 academic year.

Also, within the same period, it said 1,436 school children and 17 teachers were abducted from schools, and 16 of them lost their lives.

UNICEF Country Representative, Peter Hawkins, stated this at an event to mark the 8th anniversary of the abduction of 276 students at Government Girls’ Secondary School Chibok, Borno State.

He noted that collaboration is key to addressing insecurity and urged the government to intensify efforts to encourage girls’ education by keeping schools safe.