How displacement affects learning continuity
More than 137,000 students across Yemen’s conflict-affected regions have lost access to education, worsening an already severe crisis in the country’s schooling system. Displaced families report that children express a strong desire to resume learning, despite the destruction of schools and ongoing insecurity. The situation has intensified as fighting continues to disrupt daily life in multiple governorates.
The loss of educational opportunities stems from widespread damage to school infrastructure, with many buildings either destroyed or repurposed for military use. Teachers have fled or gone unpaid for months, leaving classrooms empty even where structures remain. Humanitarian organizations note that prolonged absence from school increases risks of child labor, early marriage, and recruitment into armed groups, particularly among boys.
What can be done to restore education access?
Displaced children often face overcrowded classrooms in host communities or no access to schooling at all. In some areas, makeshift learning spaces operate under trees or in tents, lacking basic supplies like books and desks. Psychosocial support remains limited, though some NGOs have begun integrating counseling into emergency education programs to help children cope with trauma.
Experts emphasize the need for urgent investment in temporary learning spaces, teacher incentives, and school rehabilitation. Local education authorities, supported by international donors, are working to map needs and prioritize areas where return is feasible. However, funding shortages and access restrictions continue to hinder large-scale interventions, leaving many children without a clear path back to formal learning.
Why have so many schools stopped functioning in Yemen? Years of conflict have led to direct attacks on schools, use of educational facilities for military purposes, and mass displacement of both students and teachers, rendering regular schooling impossible in many areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any efforts to provide education despite the challenges? Yes, UNICEF and partner organizations support community-based classes, self-learning materials, and teacher training programs in accessible areas, though these reach only a fraction of those in need.
What are the long-term risks if children remain out of school? Prolonged absence increases vulnerability to exploitation, reduces future employment prospects, and threatens to create a generation with limited literacy and skills, deepening poverty and instability.