Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in crises, reports that 258 million children across 87 countries face severe disruptions in learning due to insecurity and conflict. The fund highlights rising conflict, reduced restraint, and deteriorating global norms impacting education worldwide.
According to a recent report in partnership with the fund, attacks on education and the militarization of schools reached unprecedented levels in 2024 and 2025. There were at least 9,259 attacks on education—including more than 3,600 specifically targeting schools—representing a rise of over 50 percent compared to 2022-2023. More than 10,600 students and educators were killed, injured, or abducted during this period, while the military use of schools nearly doubled.
Maysa Jalbout, Director of Education Cannot Wait, stated that denial of schooling leads to lost literacy, disrupted routines, and increased vulnerability of children to recruiters or traffickers. She emphasized that education in emergencies offers not only learning but also safety, stability, and hope beyond crises.
UNESCO urged all parties in conflicts to uphold international laws and protect education from attacks. The agency noted that nearly 74 million children who are out of school or affected by crisis reside in 20 countries. Among these, refugee children, internally displaced children, and children with disabilities face the greatest obstacles, with out-of-school rates of 74%, 52%, and 45% respectively.
The UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict highlighted that in 2025, at least 24,174 children were affected by conflict-related violations out of 38,558 verified cases. The most common violations included the killing and maiming of 14,224 children, recruitment and use in hostilities, abduction, and deprivation of humanitarian aid. Increasing conflict in densely populated areas has placed children at greater risk from airstrikes and artillery fire.