After three years of closure due to conflict, a plan to re-open schools in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray has begun. During the civil war, many schools were looted and destroyed, and a quarter of all schools in Tigray were damaged in 2021, according to Human Rights Watch. Furthermore, teachers have not received payment for two years. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the central government are in charge of the re-opening plan, with the aim of beginning in mid-April. However, the plan is yet to be endorsed.
Unicef’s Chief of Education, Chance Briggs has stated that the whole system has collapsed since July of last year, with 2.3 million children out of school. Briggs mentioned that the plan for re-opening schools is to start in mid-April, but this has not been officially confirmed.
One parent from Tigray’s capital, Mekelle, shared his experience during the conflict. Mengist Gebremedhin, an assistant professor at Mekelle University, said that two of his children were in primary school when the war broke out. He tried to mentor them, but the sounds of bombings and drones were too distracting. The children would see soldiers carrying guns and then imitate them. To add to his struggles, Mengist had not received his salary for months, which made it difficult to focus on his children’s education. However, he finally received his salary yesterday, allowing him to buy clothes and food for his children.
The re-opening of schools is seen as a glimmer of hope for the children in Tigray who have been deprived of education due to the conflict. However, there are still concerns about the state of the education system and the readiness of the schools to receive students.
The TPLF and the central government are working on repairing damaged schools and establishing a functioning education system. However, this will require a significant investment of time, resources, and funding.
In addition to the damage to the education system, the conflict has resulted in the displacement of more than 2 million people and a humanitarian crisis in the region. The United Nations has warned that more than 4 million people in Tigray are in urgent need of assistance.
International organizations and governments have pledged aid to support the region, but access to Tigray has been difficult due to the conflict. The re-opening of schools is seen as a step towards normalizing life in Tigray, but there is still a long way to go to address the challenges facing the region.
The plan to re-open schools in Tigray is a critical step in restoring normalcy in the region and ensuring that children have access to education. The conflict has caused significant damage to the education system and disrupted the lives of millions of people. While the re-opening of schools is a positive development, much work needs to be done to rebuild the education system and provide support to those affected by the conflict. The international community has a crucial role to play in providing aid and support to Tigray, and it is essential that they continue to do so.
Image Credit: UNICEF Ethiopia/2022
