Mali: Alarming situation in schools under attack from armed groups
More than 1,800 schools in Mali have closed following attacks or direct threats from armed groups. These groups kidnap teachers, set fire to schools and school materials, and start shooting during lessons. Moustapha Guitteye, General Secretary of the Syndicat National de l’Éducation et la Culture (SNEC), recently went to the conflict zones to meet the teachers there.
"Over 750,000 children are missing out on their education because of these school closures. In some localities, children have not been to school since 2012. Some of these children are at risk of being recruited as child soldiers by Jihadist groups," warned Guitteye.
Some teachers are braving the dangers and doing everything possible to maintain a minimum of education for the children.
Here is the testimony of the SNEC leader, recorded on 9 June 2022:
