Ongoing separatist conflicts in Cameroon and Nigeria, alongside the rising toll of extreme weather events, are severely disrupting education for millions of children, with particularly devastating effects in low-income countries, especially in Africa.
In Cameroon, the separatist crisis in the English-speaking regions of the southwest and northwest, which began in 2016, has led to extensive violence, displacement, and widespread school closures. By 2024, nearly 500,000 children in these regions were unable to attend school, according to UNICEF. The crisis is driven by political marginalization, economic inequality, and heavy-handed security responses. The trauma children face in these conflict zones remains underreported, and the ripple effects of the violence are being felt across the region.
In neighboring Nigeria, a separatist movement in the Igbo-majority southeast is similarly disrupting education, with violence and instability placing children at risk. As conflicts spill across borders, the impact on children’s education continues to worsen, particularly in the southeastern regions of the country.
In addition to conflicts, extreme weather events are further exacerbating educational disruptions globally, with a disproportionate impact in low-income countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF’s recent report reveals that 242 million children in 85 countries had their schooling interrupted in 2024 due to climate hazards like heatwaves, floods, and cyclones. This means that one in seven school-aged children worldwide missed school at some point during the year because of extreme weather. While this issue is global, the report highlights how low-income countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are hit hardest. Hundreds of schools were destroyed, and many education systems, especially in these regions, are ill-equipped to respond to the growing frequency and severity of climate-related disruptions.
Together, the ongoing separatist conflicts and the escalating impacts of climate change create a perfect storm, hindering education for millions of children, particularly in Africa, where both issues are most prevalent.
References:
- UNICEF
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies
- Al Jazeera
