Education Above All Foundation Condemns Myanmar Boarding Schools bombings

Al Fakhoora House was destroyed in Gaza in October 2023 and reopened in February 2025

DOHA, QATAR, September 25, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The recent airstrike on two boarding schools in Myanmar, which killed students and educators, is a stark reminder of the devastation caused by attacks on education. In countries facing conflict and war, students and teachers are often casualties, and the destruction of education systems leaves millions of children without access to learning.

The September 13 school bombings in Myanmar that killed 18 students and injured 22 others came a few days after the sixth observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack (IDPEA), which called for the urgent need to protect and safeguard education in conflict communities.

The observance, established by the UN in 2020 through a resolution led by Qatar and spearheaded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, highlighted the rising global toll of attacks on education.

This year’s theme, “Challenging Narratives, Reshaping Action: Protect Education from Attack,” emphasised not only the scale of violence but also the urgent need to prioritise education during crises.

“Education Above All Foundation condemns the school bombing attack in Myanmar in the strongest terms. The deliberate targeting of schools and students is an unacceptable violation of international law and human rights. Education is a lifeline for children, not a target of violence, and we call on all parties to respect and protect schools as safe spaces for learning,” said Maleiha Malik, Executive Director of PEIC, a programme of Education Above All Foundation.

A Global Pattern of Attacks

Attacks on schools and universities are escalating worldwide. The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) 2024 report recorded a 20% increase in incidents over the past two years, with an average of eight attacks daily globally.

- Myanmar: Between 2022 and 2023, 245 attacks on schools and at least 190 cases of military use of educational facilities were reported.
- Gaza and West Bank: Since October 2023, 432 schools have been directly hit, with 97% of schools sustaining some damage. Nearly 92% of school buildings require clearance of explosive hazards and major reconstruction. 658,000 students have lost two years of in-person education. Although 653 Temporary Learning Spaces were established to continue learning, insecurity, military evacuation orders, and funding shortages forced 366 of them to close. Critically, 78,000 students from the last two secondary school cohorts could not sit their final Tawjihi exams, jeopardising higher education and future prospects.
- Sudan: Conflict has displaced millions, leaving 19 million children out of school. The war in Sudan has devastated the education sector. Now in its third year, more than 10,400 schools have been forced to close, leaving over 90% of school-age children without access to formal education and causing a child displacement crisis of enormous scale.
- Ukraine: 576 education facilities, including schools, kindergartens, and universities, were damaged or destroyed in 2024.
- Nigeria: Armed groups conducted mass kidnappings, including 287 students in a single attack in March 2024.
- Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Since early 2025, conflict has shut down over 2,500 schools in North and South Kivu, leaving 795,000 children without education — up from 465,000 in December 2024. Including Ituri, more than 1.6 million children in eastern DRC are now out of school.
- Colombia: The Track Attacks on Education Data Portal reports over 600 attacks on schools, teachers, and students since 2020. More than 140 students and teachers were harmed or killed in these attacks.
- Afghanistan: At least 60 attacks on schools were confirmed in 2023, with insecurity continuing to disrupt access in 2024.

Beyond the destruction of buildings, attacks on education have devastating psychological and social consequences. Globally, 72 million children are being driven out of learning due to conflict, with more than 53% girls and 21% forcibly displaced. Disruption to education increases vulnerability to exploitation, early marriage, child labour, and recruitment into armed groups.

Challenging Narratives and Reshaping Action

“Narratives matter. When the world treats education as secondary to war, it normalises the destruction of schools. We must challenge that. IDPEA provides a platform for truth, advocacy, and action, and today, the truth is clear: education is under attack. We must ensure children can continue learning despite the conflict,” said Alya Fakhroo, Law and Advocacy Specialist at EAA Foundation.

The Education Above All Foundation, established in 2012, provides access to quality education and advocates for the protection of education in conflict zones. To date, EAA Foundation has supported over seven million out of school children affected by conflict across 25 countries, with projects in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Colombia, regions where inequality and insecurity continue to deny children their right to education. Key initiatives include:

- TRACE (Track Attacks on Education Data Portal): Collects verified data on attacks, supporting international accountability and preventive policy.
- IFERB (Internet-Free Education Resource Bank): Offline learning modules reaching 4.2 million learners, including children in conflict zones such as Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and Yemen.
- Scholarships: More than 10,000 higher education scholarships awarded to youth from conflict-affected regions, including Syria, Palestine, and Afghanistan.
- Emergency support: In Gaza and other crises, EAA Foundation provides mental health services, dignity kits for displaced women and girls, meals, and youth-led community initiatives.
- Youth advocacy: EAA’s Youth Advisory Board and YES platform train young people to advocate for education protection on global platforms.

Global Call for Accountability

The sixth IDPEA observance reiterated that protecting schools must be non-negotiable. The global message was clear: education cannot wait for peace. Protecting schools and universities is a legal, moral, and humanitarian imperative -- and the world must act before an entire generation loses the right to learn.

For more information, please visit www.educationaboveall.org

[ENDS]

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mohamed Al-Amri
Senior Media Relations Specialist
msalih@eaa.org.qa

Patience Rusare
Senior Media Specialist
parusare@eaa.org.qa

ABOUT EDUCATION ABOVE ALL

Education Above All (EAA) Foundation is a global foundation established in 2012 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. EAA Foundation aims to transform lives through education and employment opportunities. We believe that education is the single most effective means of reducing poverty, creating peaceful and just societies, unlocking the full potential of every child and youth, and creating the right conditions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Through our multi-sectoral approach, unique financing models, focus on innovation as a tool for social good, and partnerships, we aim to bring hope and real opportunities to the lives of marginalised children and youth. The Education Above All Foundation comprises the following programmes: Educate A Child (EAC), Al Fakhoora, Reach Out To All (ROTA), Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC), Silatech, Innovation Development (ID) Directorate, and the Together Project.

Ryan Chittenden
Education Above All Foundation
email us here

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