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In this UNICEF blog, Toby Fricker revisits Ukraine after five years:

“Disrupted education has sadly become the norm for children across Ukraine. The COVID-19 pandemic and then the escalation of the war mean children are between one and two years behind in core subjects.”

“During my visit this time, I see what’s left of one school that has been largely destroyed. The walls and roof of much of the building have collapsed, although one of the classrooms on an upper floor remains strangely still intact – windowless now, but still containing desks. It’s a sad reminder of the school life that once existed there.”

Read the blog.

UNICEF has published a blog about new textbooks and learning material in Tajikistan.

“The new materials are student centered, personalized, relatable and development oriented. They aim to accommodate different learning needs and foster academic excellence, and they incorporate cultural and linguistic elements relevant to Tajikistan. The materials are meant to actively engage students in the learning process and support the development of their competencies.”

“The new Tajik language and math materials have been designed to not only impart knowledge but also to develop critical thinking skills and allow for self-directed learning.”

Read the blog.

“Schools are not always the safe space they should be to allow children to learn and thrive.”

Global Partnership for Education’s blog looks at violence in schools:

“Violence in schools is a serious issue across Africa. Nearly a third of children on the continent experience physical or sexual attacks in educational settings. Children, and girls in particular, are at high risk of sexual violence at school, including the most egregious types of sexual violence. And as access to technology increases, so does the risk of online bullying and abuse.”

To end the violence, some initiatives are mentioned:

“In Sierra Leone, for example, a systemic approach to preventing violence coupled with a radical inclusion policy in education is paving the way for safer schools.”

Read the blog.

About 10 million children across four countries in West and Central Africa are currently [mid-October 2024] out of school due to massive regional flooding, which has damaged and destroyed infrastructure and displaced nearly one million people from their homes, said Save the Children.

In their article – West and Central Africa: About 10 million children forced out of schools by worst flooding in recent years – they note the devastation, number of children displaced and schools destroyed.

“Before the flooding, 14,000 schools in Central and West Africa were already closed because of attacks and threats on education. This catastrophic situation makes the already fragile chances of access to education for thousands of children even more dire.”

Read the article.