Attacks on schools in conflict zones have risen by a staggering 44 per cent in the past year, according to the United Nations. These incidents were recorded in 2024. They resulted in widespread death and abduction. Thousands of teachers and school-age children worldwide suffered severe trauma.
The UN documented over 41,000 cases of violence against children in 2024, describing the situation as an alarming escalation in global brutality.
Countries worst affected by violence against schools
The highest levels of violations were recorded in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This is particularly true for the Gaza Strip. High levels were also recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, and Haiti, where the frequency of school attacks is alarming.
Marking the International Day to Protect Education on September 9, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the devastating consequences of these violations. “Each violation carries profound consequences, not only for teachers and young learners, but for the future of entire communities,” he said. He further emphasized: “No child should risk death to learn.”
Sharp rise in sexual violence and child abductions
The Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict 2024 highlighted more than school attacks. It recorded a 34 per cent increase in rape and sexual violence against children in war zones. At the same time, grave violations including abduction, recruitment into armed groups, and targeted assaults increased by 17 per cent.
The UN described these findings as an alarming escalation in brutality against the most vulnerable, with schools often being the target of attacks.
Gaza: 660,000 children out of school
In the Gaza Strip, where over 2.3 million people remain displaced after years of conflict, education has been nearly destroyed.
Around 660,000 children are currently out of school, with classrooms turned into makeshift shelters for displaced families. “There is no education now. We live inside the school, where we are displaced, eating and sleeping,” said Diana, a young girl in Gaza.
Despite immense challenges, UNICEF and humanitarian partners have reached 68,000 children through temporary learning spaces providing both lessons and psychosocial support. To address shortages, UNICEF has also repurposed wooden pallets into desks and used supply boxes as classroom furniture. The ongoing conflict emphasizes the urgent need to address attacks on educational institutions.
Ukraine: millions of children face learning barriers
In Ukraine, ongoing war has left 5.3 million children struggling with severe barriers to education. UNICEF reports that 115,000 children are completely out of school, while thousands more depend on remote learning models.
“Since the beginning of the conflict, 1,850 schools and learning facilities have been damaged,” said Nelson Rodrigues, UNICEF Education Specialist.
Currently, 420,000 children are studying fully online, while another one million use a hybrid approach combining digital and in-person lessons. UNICEF has supported repairs for 57,000 damaged schools, enabling many children to return to classrooms despite ongoing risks. This demonstrates the severity of attacks targeting educational structures.
Additionally, catch-up and remedial learning programs are helping war-affected children recover lost education.
Global call to respect schools as safe zones
The UN stressed that under international law, schools must be protected as places of safety during conflict. Secretary-General Guterres issued a clear reminder: “The pen, the book, and the classroom are all mightier than the sword.” Protection against attacks is paramount.
He urged all parties in conflict to respect children’s fundamental right to education and ensure accountability for violations. Protecting schools, he added, is not only about safeguarding children’s futures but also about preserving the resilience of entire societies.
Protecting education as a lifeline
The sharp rise in attacks on schools highlights a global crisis threatening children’s rights, safety, and mental health in conflict zones.
From Gaza to Ukraine, millions of children are being deprived of safe, stable learning environments, undermining their future opportunities. UNICEF and humanitarian agencies continue working to provide temporary classrooms, psychosocial support, and school rehabilitation, but urgent global action is needed.
As the UN warns, education is not a privilege but a fundamental right—one that must be defended even amid war, with a special focus on preventing attacks on educational institutions.
