over 14,000 schools close in west and central africa due to violence

In West and Central Africa, an alarming educational crisis has emerged as over 14,000 schools have closed due to escalating violence and insecurity. This situation has left hundreds of thousands of children without access to education, particularly affecting regions like the Sahel, which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has highlighted the dire consequences of these closures, which increase the vulnerability of children to recruitment by armed groups and exposure to various forms of exploitation. The impact of school closures is profound, with millions of children affected since 2023. In Cameroon, 1.4 million school-age children are in urgent need of educational assistance, while the DRC has seen 1,457 schools close in 2024 alone, affecting over 500,000 students. Armed groups often occupy schools, turning them into military outposts, which further disrupts children's right to education and safety. The broader implications of this crisis threaten to rob an entire generation of youth of their educational opportunities, leading to long-term socio-economic repercussions. Girls are particularly at risk, facing increased chances of forced marriages and other forms of exploitation, which exacerbate existing gender inequalities. The recruitment of children into armed conflicts perpetuates cycles of poverty and instability in the region. Despite the grim outlook, there are signs of progress, such as the reopening of 1,300 schools in Burkina Faso since October 2023 and a decrease in attacks on education in Mali and the Central African Republic. The NRC urges the international community to take action to protect education and ensure the safety of students and teachers in conflict-affected areas.