Published on: 2026-09-09
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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September 9, 2026 Peace and Security
With the start of the new school year, millions of children around the world are returning to classrooms, but for millions of others, school has ceased to be a safe place. This was stated by Maissa Jalbout, director of the Education Cannot Wait fund, on the occasion of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, observed on September 9.
The United Nations notes that the scale of armed conflicts in the world continues to grow, and along with them, the number of attacks on educational institutions is increasing at an alarming rate. In 2025, 1,680 such attacks were recorded worldwide—33 percent more than the previous year.
Attacks on Ukrainian schools
According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, over 900 attacks on schools in Ukraine were recorded in 2024–2025.
The war continues to destroy the education system: according to the UN, by the end of 2025, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 1,611 schools have been damaged or destroyed, of which at least 339 were completely destroyed. As a result, 741,000 children studied in a mixed format, combining in-person and remote classes due to the lack of bomb shelters in schools, and another 443,000 studied entirely online in areas of active combat. Over the past five years, almost 1.2 million children have been unable to attend in-person schooling on a regular basis, which, according to the UN, has set them back one to two years in core subjects.
At the same time, regular strikes on the energy infrastructure continue to cause power outages and damage to heating systems, further complicating both in-person and remote learning.
In 2026, 1380 educational institutions in eight regions of Ukraine received a one-time payment from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with support from Germany. These funds will help schools and preschools minimize disruptions caused by power and heating outages. As a result, 400,000 children will be able to continue their education in face-to-face or blended format during the winter period.
Since the beginning of the war following the Russian Federation’s invasion in February 2022, UNESCO has mobilized 79 million dollars for the restoration of Ukraine. To date, this is the organization’s largest crisis-response program worldwide. As part of this effort, more than 58 thousand laptops have been delivered to teachers and students, over 77 thousand educators have been trained in digital pedagogy, and more than 170 thousand children have received psychosocial support.
Ticket to a better future
“Education is a ticket to a better future for every child and every member of the younger generation. It is also one of the fundamental human rights. However, the realization of this right is becoming increasingly dangerous,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message on the occasion of the International Day.
All states, Guterres emphasized, are obliged to ensure every child’s right to education and the safety of educational institutions, and parties to conflicts must prevent attacks on schools and hold those responsible accountable. He called on countries to invest in education for all children, endorse the Safe Schools Declaration and fully implement its provisions, as well as support the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack.
“We must work together to prepare and protect education systems, both in-person and online, especially in the interests of girls and children in vulnerable situations,” emphasized the Secretary-General. “We also need to ensure the safe reintegration of youth and children associated with armed forces or groups into schools and local communities.”
Guterres noted that the UN offers countries a number of support tools, including UNESCO’s practical guide for developing appropriate policies.
The scale of violence is increasing
According to Maisa Jalbut, head of the Education Cannot Wait fund, her recent meetings with children and teachers in Lebanon and Sudan confirmed that violence against the education system continues to increase.
Jalbout said she cannot forget the girls in Afghanistan dreaming of getting a secondary education, the children in Gaza who look at the ruins of school buildings and do not know if they will ever be able to study again, as well as families in Nigeria sending their children to classes amid a growing wave of kidnappings.
According to the report of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attacks, more than 8,500 attacks on education were recorded worldwide in 2024–2025 — a 40 percent increase and the highest figure ever observed. At least 10,600 students and educators were killed, injured, or abducted, and the use of schools by military forces nearly doubled. The UN also confirmed over 38,000 serious violations of children’s rights in armed conflict settings in 2025. This is the highest figure in 30 years of monitoring.
Today, 258 million children in 87 countries affected by crises face severe disruptions in education – 21 million more than a year and a half ago. Of these, 93 million are not attending school at all.
Systematic violations
Jalbout emphasized that this is not about “collateral damage,” but about systemic, predictable, and preventable losses. According to her, the lack of education is costly for society as a whole: countries lose future doctors, teachers, engineers, and peacekeepers; girls who do not attend school face gender-based violence more often, and boys are at risk of forced recruitment into armed groups. The lack of education among children drains the global economy, slows the recovery of entire regions, and fuels cycles of forced displacement and conflicts.
On the occasion of International Jalbut Day, the organization called on all parties to comply with international humanitarian law and immediately cease attacks on schools, students, and educators.
Responsibility, she noted, does not lie solely with governments. The Education Cannot Wait fund invited donors, business representatives, philanthropists, and civil society to join the “Hope Starts Here” campaign to raise $600 million and provide safe, quality education for 10 million children in the most critical situations worldwide.
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