611 Nigerian teachers killed, 910 schools destroyed in 9 years – UN

The United Nations has decried attacks on schools and communities in conflicts in some parts of Nigeria, emphasizing that from 2009 to 2018, a total of 611 teachers were killed and 910 schools destroyed.

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Edward Kallon, said this in a statement released yesterday in Abuja in commemoration of the World International Day to Protect Education from Attacks.

He said over 1,500 schools were forced to close and 4.2 million children in the north-east were at the risk of missing out on an education, adding that three million children in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States were in need of education emergency support.

He urged the federal and state governments in Nigeria to ensure safety protocols were in place before school resumption to stem the spread of COVID-19 in schools across.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the UN condemned all attacks on education, including abductions of school children, school-related gender-based violence, herders-farmers clashes, and repurposing of schools for use as isolation centres, IDP camps, and markets or for military purposes.

“We must ensure our children have a safe and secure environment in which to learn the knowledge and skills they need for the future,” he said.

Similarly, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said safeguarding the right to education for all contributes to the achievement of sustainable development and nurtures the international community’s decadeslong gains towards peace, economic prosperity, and social inclusion worldwide.