According to a recent UNICEF report, over nine million children in Ethiopia are out of school due to conflict, violence, and natural disasters, with more than 6,000 schools shut down. The highest numbers of out-of-school children are in the Amhara region (4.4 million), Oromia region (3.2 million), and Tigray region (1.2 million), the report explained.
UNICEF highlighted the devastating impact on Ethiopia’s education sector, citing over 10,000 schools damaged by conflict and climate shocks, leaving 18% of schools across the country unsafe or unusable. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education, however, disputed the data, suggesting discrepancies in data collection methods.
In regions like Amhara and Oromia, ongoing conflicts have forced school closures. In September, violence in the Amhara region led to the deaths of teachers, creating widespread fear among education workers. Rebel groups have opposed the reopening of some schools, citing safety concerns.
Meanwhile, tensions have risen in the Tigray region over bans on Islamic headscarves in some schools in Axum. Muslim organizations reported that hundreds of female students have been excluded from attending school due to the policy. They alleged instances of harassment and arrests of students wearing the hijab, calling the actions a violation of religious tolerance.
The Ministry of Education permits headscarves in schools, but local administrators have defended the bans, stating that schools should not serve as religious spaces. Some parents and former students supported the policy, emphasizing the need to maintain secular learning environments.
The issue has sparked widespread concern, with calls for an urgent resolution to ensure students’ rights to education and religious freedom. The Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has urged authorities to address the matter, while the Ministry of Education has referred the issue to regional education officials.
