The United Nations-led organization, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) on Monday revealed that an estimated 9 million children are out of school and 18% of the schools have been destroyed due to the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia.
In its press release, ECW underscored that the country’s ongoing conflict, together with climate-induced disasters and widespread displacement, has maximized the impact on students since 2022.
“The education crisis in Ethiopia is one of the largest silent crises in the world today,” said Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of ECW, explaining their interventions to minimize the adverse effect.
“These emergency interventions will build on the US$24 million Multi-Year Resilience Programme announced last month by ECW, targeting needs in the Amhara, Somali and Tigray regions.”
ECW said that continuous conflicts, climate change, and other crises have pulled millions out of school each year in Ethiopia, although their interventions have brought some positive impacts to the affected communities.
4.7 million children are reportedly out of school just in Amhara regional state when 4,870 schools have been closed and 52% of the schools have been damaged due to the ongoing conflict between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) together with the regional forces and Fano militiamen.
Fighting between the ENDF and Amhara Fano militiamen erupted in July 2023, although tensions intensified 3 months earlier in April 2023.
