Education during wartime
War and armed conflicts bring so much harm and destruction to any country they invade. They affect the vital infrastructure and depleted countries into poverty, starvation, and extermination. Education is one of the most important vital sectors affected badly by severe wars and armed conflicts.
In these recent years, the ongoing wars have affected children and young adults globally, and if we want to turn the wheel and improve their future, we need to raise this topic for everyone to see and, perhaps, take action.
In many countries, the education system is not functioning as it used to. There are many schools that have been destroyed, closed, or turned into refugee camps. The war has led to an increase in the number of children who are out of school and have missed out on their education, and led them directly towards another catastrophe like; “Child Labor and child recruitment.”.
The educational system during wartime is not the same as it is in peacetime. In peacetime, the education system is based on a certain set of values and principles, but in wartime, there are different values and principles that need to be taken into account.
Let’s go deeper…
School Building
The issue of education in war-affected regions is one that has been a concern for decades. The difficulties faced by these schools are not just due to the lack of resources but also the lack of infrastructure.
In war-affected regions, there is a shortage of school buildings.
There are many factors that contribute to this shortage, but the main ones are the lack of funding and the lack of materials.
These schools need to be reconstructed in order to be able to provide a proper education for the children. However, this process will take time and will require a lot of funding.
The lack of funding is caused by the fact that humanitarian assistance from international donors has decreased by (50%) in recent years.
The lack of materials is caused by the destruction and looting of buildings during conflicts.
Safe Schools for Children in Conflict Areas
Schools can provide a safe haven for children.
They can offer a sense of stability and community to children who have had their worlds upended by conflict, a refuge from the violence in their neighborhoods, and a sanctuary from the fear that envelops them every day.
Over one year ago, (97%) of all refugee children, who were displaced, are living in poverty.
As the situation deteriorates and conflict spreads, it is more and more difficult for them to go to school.
In Iraq and Syria alone, there are 2 million children who have not attended school for at least six months.
Throughout these difficulties, civil community charities and international organizations like; U.N.H.C.R _ I.R.C _ and Bonyan Organization are paving the education path for refugee children in many war-affected regions in different countries.
The Importance of School
The importance of school in conflict areas cannot be diluted or understated. It is more than just a place to learn math, science, or literature.
It is a sanctuary from the horrors of war that the children experience each day.
Schools provide children with an educational environment, a safe space, the opportunity to learn, and the chance to educate. It gives them skills that they can use later in life, skills they can use when looking for a job, improving their lives, or having access to other opportunities. And if one of these children is lucky enough, the school will be their ticket out of poverty into prosperity.
Education is a tool that could help people in a conflict area. It can provide them with tools to work with and the skills they need to build better lives for themselves.
School Restoration
Schools play a crucial role in the lives of children, especially in conflict-ridden countries.
They are often the only stable place for children to go, where they are taken care of and given an education.
Unfortunately, there are many threats facing school restoration, such as;
- Complete destruction due to the ongoing wars.
- The bad effects on school restoration processes due to natural disasters.
- Lack of funding and resources.
- The withdrawal of some organizations from providing financial support for school restoration due to their limited budgets.
The most important thing about school restoration is that we are not rebuilding schools for the sake of building them.
We are rebuilding homes so that families can return, children can go back to school, and communities can once again feel safe.
Teachers Sponsorship
Teachers play an important role as they are important influencers in the education system that help towards economic growth.
A lot of the time, in conflict areas, schools and educational institutions are not able to have teachers. When there is a shortage or when an institution has been destroyed, it becomes difficult to teach children.
In recent years, the problem of teacher shortages in conflict areas has increased due to the war and insecurity.
The large number of people leaving their jobs to flee the conflict has led to …
- A shortage of qualified teachers.
- The physical insecurity of many teachers in these areas has also led to lower levels of teacher morale and performance.
- Not to mention the lack of funding that directly affects the financial support for the teaching staff who are working under these hard conditions.
Education Support Partnership and Program
The Education Support Partnership and Program in Conflict Areas is a joint initiative by some local civil community charities and other International Organizations to promote education in war-affected regions. The initiative aims to improve the quality of education for children who are victims of conflict. The partnership also offers access to quality reading resources for teachers and students.
In Syria, for example, Bonyan Organization initially launched Education Support Partnership and Program, with a contribution from other local charities, which are more familiar with the complex situation in Northern Syria, aimed at providing access to information on-demand for these schools, which are connected under the same educational program.
Bonyan Organization provides two essential services to maintain the process of education support partnership and program;
- Providing financial funding for schools’ education programs, teaching staff, student, and their families.
- Providing high educational resources and materials that service the education support partnership and program.
Read More: