Educational dilemma in Yemen

More than 60% of children surveyed in Yemen did not return to the classroom last year after their schools came under attack, according to a new Save the Children report.

One out of five children surveyed also reported facing a security incident on their way to school that put their life at risk and their education in jeopardy. These incidents include kidnappings or attempted kidnappings, escalating violence, and harassment by strangers.

The figures are disclosed in Save the Children’s new report ‘Will I see my children again?’ released during the 4th International Conference on the Safe Schools Declaration taking place from 25-27 October to protect education during armed conflict.

“When we are at school, we hear explosions. We run inside the school and when they finish, we go out again to play. One of my friends got injured in one of the explosions,” said Omar*, 8.

In the past five years, more than 460 schools have been attacked, including caught in crossfire. More than 2,500 schools have been damaged, used as collective shelters for displaced families, or occupied by armed groups, resulting in 400,000 children being forced out of school. 
Around 45% of children reported observing some form of military presence on their way to or from school. This is particularly worrying as nearly 90% of children surveyed said they walk to school every day.

Lamia, 30, is a teacher in Taiz, where escalating violence resulted in several school attacks in March.

“The situation here is quite worrying. The armed groups are walking around confidently 24/7, and the students see it every day. At any point, we expect shooting, and it often happens around the gate as the armed men made this school a military target. This puts children in grave danger. They have even stolen building materials; we are studying in fear.”

Save the Children’s Yemen Country Director, Xavier Joubert, said:

“The children we spoke to paint a very bleak picture. Schools should be safe havens and not zones of war. Roofs penetrated by artillery, half demolished walls and classes reduced to rubble is what school means for many students in Yemen.

“Often classes are taking place under the sounds of warplanes or the burning sun in a makeshift tent somewhere in a displacement camp. For some children, school is where they have lost their friends or got injured themselves, so many children don’t feel safe walking to school or continuing to study.

“The war has reversed decades of educational gains for Yemeni children. We cannot afford to allow children’s education to be further jeopardised. Children are the future of this country, and we need to make sure that their education is protected.”

 

_{Source & credit: Save the children}

^{Photo by Aman Shrivastava on Unsplash}