UNICEF: Over 30 million MENA children out of School

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Friday, January 24th, 2025

Download this post as PDF

Geneva, January 24 (QNA) – The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) announced that about 30 million children in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are deprived of their right to education, especially in countries that have experienced conflicts and crises such as Sudan and the Gaza Strip.
In a statement issued on the occasion of World Day of Education, which is marked on January 24 each year, the organization explained that the ongoing conflicts and crises in Sudan, Palestine, Syria and other countries have caused a huge decline in the gains made in the field of education in the region.
According to UNICEF, the number of out-of-school children between the ages of 5 and 18 has reached at least 30 million in 12 countries in the region, equivalent to one in three children.
According to the statement, there are 16.5 million children out of school in Sudan, as a result of the violent conflict that destroyed the educational infrastructure and disrupted the educational process, leading to the collapse of the education system in the country.
As for the Gaza Strip, UNICEF reported that about 645 thousand children are deprived of education, as all schools have closed their doors since October 2023. The organization confirmed that 84% of schools in Gaza are in need of complete reconstruction or major rehabilitation as a result of the recent conflict.
The organization also pointed out that many Gaza children are suffering from injuries as a result of the conflict, which has negatively affected their ability to access educational opportunities.