A recent United Nations report has revealed that nearly 15,000 schools have been shut down across West and Central Africa, affecting the education of over 3 million children -- a crisis driven by growing insecurity, conflict, and displacement.
The situation is particularly dire in Nigeria and Cameroon, where violent insurgencies and protracted conflicts have forced families from their homes and children out of classrooms. In Nigeria alone, nearly 500 schools remain closed, with regions like Zamfara State seeing widespread educational paralysis. In Anglophone Cameroon, more than 80% of schools are shut down, leaving over 600,000 children without formal education.
Humanitarian agencies, including UNICEF and the Norwegian Refugee Council, warn the closures are not just disrupting learning -- they are deepening trauma, especially among adolescent girls, who face increased risks of child marriage, teen pregnancy, and gender-based violence. Targeting education is "putting the future of an entire generation of children at risk, children who with the right support and opportunities can build a more stable and prosperous future," UNICEF spokesperson Toby Fricker said.
"Behind every closed classroom door is a child carrying invisible scars," said Hassane Hamadou, NRC's Regional Director. Despite limited re-openings in parts of Cameroon, the outlook remains bleak. The closures have nearly doubled since 2019, rising from 8,000 to nearly 15,000. Experts say the true number of out-of-school children could exceed 5 million, and without urgent intervention, the region risks losing an entire generation. UNICEF is urging governments and armed actors to uphold the Safe Schools Declaration and restore education as a basic right, not a casualty of war.