In the News

On the front lines of one of Africa’s forgotten crises, Education Cannot Wait, UNICEF and other strategic partners are providing adaptive learning materials, dedicated resources and trained teachers for girls and boys with disabilities.

Many families in the Central African Republic (CAR) struggle to meet their basic needs. Insecurity, natural disasters, epidemics, poverty, forced displacement and other humanitarian crises limit access to essential services such as education.

In all, about 1.3 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance in CAR. Girls are falling even further behind, with only 38 percent of girls reaching secondary school, raising the specter of child marriage, abuse and neglect.

Climate change poses one of most significant threats to global development, particularly in vulnerable regions of this region

As climate change accelerates, its impacts on education systems are becoming impossible to ignore. From submerged schools in Bangladesh to heatwave-related closures in Pakistan, extreme weather events disrupt learning for millions of children annually, particularly in the Global South.

On the front lines of one of Africa’s forgotten crises, Education Cannot Wait, UNICEF and other strategic partners are providing adaptive learning materials, dedicated resources and trained teachers for girls and boys with disabilities.

Éducation au Mali : Entre Crise et Refondation, l’Espoir Persiste !
"En décembre 2024, “Éducation sans délai” a alloué 22M$ pour renforcer la résilience éducative & soutenir + de 200 000 enfants vulnérables à Gao, Ménaka, Kidal, Tombouctou, Mopti."

The rise in global conflicts, such as those in Ukraine, Sudan, Palestine, and parts of the Sahel region, alongside intensifying climate and health crises, pose serious threats to the stability of education systems around the world. These crises and conflicts have forced millions of students to flee their homes and schools, disrupting their learning.

However, the impact goes far beyond war-torn regions. OECD data shows that even host communities that take in refugees are facing difficulties. The large influx of displaced people puts pressure on education systems leading to them becoming increasingly vulnerable.

The three northeast states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) have begun the second phase of a special learning programme to give a second chance to children affected by over a decade of violence in the area.

Speaking at the launch of the programme and inception workshop in Maiduguri, Borno’s capital, Adamawa State Commissioner for Education, Dr Umar Garba Pella saud the programme will give another opportunity to children that missed schools or learning process due to insurgency and other challenges.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Wednesday, said it would be supporting the North-East States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe with $50 million intervention to advance education programmes in the region ravaged by Boko Haram insurgency and conflicts.

Speaking to newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital, during the launch of the second phase of multi-year resilience education program (MYRP) funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), Vanessa Lee, the UNICEF Chief of Education, said the fund would enhance access to learning in schools and non-formal education centres.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a programme to improve access to basic education and enhance learning outcomes for out-of-school children in Boko Haram-affected areas of the North-East region.

Speaking on Wednesday in Maiduguri during the launch of Multi-Year Resilience Programme Phase 2: Education Cannot Wait, UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Vanessa Lee, stated that the initiative would foster community partnership and engagement in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.

Sitting on a bench at Muningi Primary School in Goma, Justine can't help but smile. She has just received a school bag, pens and notebooks, after losing her school supplies when the Kanyaruchinya site for displaced people was dismantled at the start of February 2025.

Since 2021, Justine has been displaced multiple times. Originally from Rugari in Rutshuru, she fled the violence with her mother and siblings, finding refuge at the Kanyaruchinya site for displaced people just outside Goma. She slept in churches, lived in makeshift shelters and tried to continue her education despite the challenges.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and the Center for Educational Research and Development (CRDP), UNESCO Regional for UN Coordination for the Arab States, organized a high-level roundtable discussion titled “Digital Learning in Lebanon – Challenges and Opportunities.” The event gathered key education stakeholders, including representatives from the international community, donor agencies, United Nations organizations, and private schools, to explore the challenges and opportunities of digital learning in Lebanon.

Guerras, desastres naturales, desplazamientos forzados… Cuando las crisis golpean, la educación es lo primero que se pierde y lo último en recuperarse, dejando a millones de niños y niñas sin el derecho a aprender, condenando generaciones enteras a un futuro incierto.

Lo hemos visto en Gaza, donde casi el 88,5% de las escuelas han sido dañadas o destruidas, dejando a miles de niñas y niños sin la posibilidad de regresar a clases durante más de un año. Lo vemos en Sudán, donde más de 17 millones de niños y niñas han quedado fuera del sistema educativo.

Rural Dar’a, Syria – At thirteen, Mohamed carries a quiet strength that belies his years. Sitting inside the small tent he calls home; he recalls the days when playing with his siblings and cousins felt more like a reminder of his limitations than a source of joy. “I always felt inferior,” he admits. “I thought I was not as good as them. But today, after I started my learning journey, I felt that gap disappear. In my last exam, I even scored higher than some of my classmates.”