from AMADOU NDIAYE in Dakar, Senegal
Senegal Bureau
DAKAR, (CAJ News) – ABOUT 10 million children in four of the worst affected countries are out of school because of massive flooding.
They are in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Mali, Niger and Nigeria as West and Central African regions bear the brunt.
Foods have created a worsening education crisis with the damage or destruction of schools, the occupation of school buildings by displaced families and the displacement of families away from schools.
The 10 million children currently stuck at home or displaced due to floods are in addition to about 36 million children – of which over 20 million are in Nigeria – estimated to already be out of school in the four countries due to conflict and poverty, according to the United Nations (UN).
“Around the world, the start of a new school year is a time of joy and hope,” Vishna Shah-Little, Regional Director of Advocacy and Campaigns for Save the Children, said.
“For many children in West and Central Africa, the start of the school year is synonymous with sadness at the sight of their homes, schools and classrooms under water,” Shah-Little added from Dakar, Senegal.
Save the Children is calling for donors to support scaling up the response to the consequences of natural disasters on affected populations, especially children.
At the end of September, Niger declared the postponement of the start of the school year for at least three weeks because of the floods, forcing 3,8 million learners out of school.
Earlier this month, Mali also declared a month’s postponement to the start of the school year, also impacting some 3,8 million learners.
In Nigeria, at least 3 million children are out of school in Borno state, with 2,2 million children newly out of school due to statewide closures from flooding.
In DRC, at least 59 000 children are out of school.
– CAJ News