SCI Expresses Concerns Over Persistent Attacks On Schools

As the world marks the second International Day to Protect Education from Attack, Save the Children International, (SCI) Nigeria, on Thursday, expressed concern about the persistent attack on schools, students and teachers in Nigeria.

Quoting the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), it said between 2015-2019, there have been 100 reported attacks on schools in Nigeria.

In a statement by the Media and Communication Manager, Save the Children International Nigeria, Kunle Olawoyin, SCI said these attacks have been on the increase between 2020 and 2021, which led to the closing of many schools by the government due to fear of being attacked.

“From January to August 2021, over 1000 children were abducted in Nigeria, with so many of them still in the hands of their abductors.

The Country Director, SCI, Nigeria, Mercy Gichuhi said: “For us, the 9th September, the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, is an important moment to raise awareness on the situation of education in conflict and some of our focus on the Safe Schools Declaration.

“When education is under attack, a generation is attacked. Children, girls and women are more vulnerable at times of attack – putting them at a higher risk of trauma, fear, gender based violence, physical and sexual abuse. Many children in such times will have no choice but to discontinue their education and some will never return back to school – with their childhood dream fading away.”

She noted that In Nigeria, the number of out-of-school children, according to UNICEF, was at 10.5million before the effects of the conflict, humanitarian crisis and pandemic were felt.

She added that with the total or partial closure of schools in Zamfara, Katsina, Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger and other states due to kidnapping and abduction of school children, the number of children that would be prevented from accessing education in Nigeria could be on the increase.

“We know that education is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis across West and Central Africa (WCA). For the first time in human history, an entire generation has had their education disrupted. But, before the pandemic, the education system was already in crisis across WCA, with the lowest school enrolment rates in the world at the primary level. In fact, in normal times, 1out of 5 of children aged 6-11 years are out of school in WCA.

Violence and attacks against schools has continued in the Sahel, Nigeria and the DRC with huge consequences for children. That context exacerbates pre-existing structural problems within the education system, including the lack of qualified teachers, school facilities, overcrowded classrooms, lack of teaching materials and the inability to adapt teaching to meet the psychosocial needs of children.”

SCI urged governments to put in place mechanisms that ensure the protection of schools and other learning environments.

“As Nigeria hosts the globe at the fourth International Conference on Safe Schools Declaration, we look forward to seeing government and international partners coming up with concrete measures to build resilience at the community level, evolved security measures that will help curb the persistent attack on educational facilities including the children and their teachers. Save the Children equally calls on international partners and the Government of Nigeria to increase investment in education to address the multi-faceted factors affecting education in Nigeria.”