Attacks on schools in conflict zones across the world have surged by a “staggering 44 per cent” in the past year, according to United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres. He made this known in a message to mark the International Day to Protect Education, commemorated annually on September 9.
The UN reported that Nigeria remains one of the hardest-hit countries, ranking fourth with 2,436 verified grave violations. Others include Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (8,554), the Democratic Republic of Congo (4,043), Somalia (2,568), and Haiti (2,269).
Nigeria’s Dark Reality: Chibok, Kaduna and Beyond
Nigeria’s numbers are not just statistics—they echo painful memories of schoolchildren abducted in Chibok (2014), Dapchi (2018), and more recently, mass kidnappings in Kaduna State. These incidents continue to haunt families and communities while forcing thousands of children out of classrooms.
According to the UN, more than 41,000 incidents of violence against school-age children were recorded globally in 2024, including killings, abductions, and trauma among both teachers and students.
“Each violation carries profound consequences, not only for teachers and young learners, but for the future of entire communities and countries,” Guterres warned. He stressed that “no child should risk death to learn.”
Escalating Brutality Against Children
The UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (2024) pointed to a disturbing escalation in violence against children. The report revealed a 34 per cent rise in rape and sexual violence and a 17 per cent increase in abductions, recruitment, and other grave violations.
“This is an alarming escalation in brutality,” the report stated, noting the devastating toll on children’s education and safety.
With many schools on the frontlines either closed or forced online, over 420,000 Nigerian children now learn fully online, while one million depend on hybrid models. Between January and July 2025, the UN and its partners supported 370,000 children and teachers, mainly in front-line and host communities.
The Call to Defend Classrooms
The UN emphasized that under international law, schools must remain safe zones and perpetrators of attacks must be held accountable.
“The pen, the book, and the classroom are all mightier than the sword,” Guterres said. “Let’s keep it that way and protect the fundamental right of every child to learn in safety and peace.”