Africa: Record Number of Attacks On Education, Global Fund Warns

What the report says

Education Cannot Wait, the UN-backed global fund focused on schooling in crises, warned that attacks on education have reached a record level, with the warning published by UN News and distributed by AllAfrica on 9 September 2026. The report said 93 million children are currently out of class and that 258 million children in 87 countries are facing severe disruption to learning because of insecurity and other pressures.

The fund cited new reporting showing that attacks on schools and the wider use of education facilities for military purposes rose sharply in 2024 and 2025. Across 28 countries profiled, there were at least 9,259 attacks on education, including more than 3,600 attacks on schools. The report also said more than 10,600 students and educators were killed, injured or abducted, and that military use of schools nearly doubled. The warnings came as the world marked the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

Education Cannot Wait said the pattern reflects worsening conflict and weaker respect for international norms in several regions. The article also highlighted wider UN data on child casualties in armed conflict, including violence, abductions and denial of aid. It said the highest number of grave violations was verified in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar and Somalia.

The fund said education in emergencies is essential not only for learning, but also for safety and stability. It is seeking $600 million through its Hope Starts Here campaign to help 10 million children in the world’s most affected areas access safe, quality education.