The Impact of Insecurity on Access to Education in Africa

In many parts of Africa, insecurity is no longer a side problem — it is a central barrier to children getting a basic education. Attacks on schools, occupation of learning spaces by armed groups, mass displacement, and the collapse of local services have combined to create one of the largest education crises in decades. This article examines how insecurity undermines access to education across the continent, summarises the latest research and data, and sets out practical policy and program responses that can help protect learning for millions of children.

How insecurity shuts schools: the major pathways

Insecurity affects education through multiple, often overlapping channels:

1. Direct attacks and occupation. Armed groups and criminal actors have attacked school buildings, teachers and students, or used school facilities for military purposes. This makes schools unsafe and forces closures. In West and Central Africa alone, thousands of schools have been closed because of insecurity. (UNICEF)

2. Mass abductions and targeted violence. Kidnappings of pupils and teachers — whether for ransom, recruitment or intimidation — terrify communities and keep children at home. Nigeria and other countries have experienced mass abductions that permanently damage trust in going to school. (UNICEF)

3. Displacement and disrupted services. Conflict and violence force families to flee. Displaced children lose continuity of schooling; host communities and camps struggle to absorb new learners. The scale of forced displacement globally has surged, and education systems are stretched thin. (Open Knowledge )

4. Economic shock and child labour. Insecurity often destroys livelihoods. Families under economic strain are more likely to pull children from school, marry off girls early, or put children into hazardous work to survive.

5. Psychological trauma and loss of teachers. Even when schools remain open, trauma and stress can reduce learning outcomes. Teachers may flee, be killed, or refuse to work in insecure areas — worsening learning quality.

The scale of the crisis: data and recent findings

Recent monitoring and humanitarian reporting paint a stark picture:

In West and Central Africa, school closures due to insecurity increased sharply in recent years, with over 14,000 schools closed in affected areas at one point — disrupting education for millions of children. (UNICEF)
In Sudan, the brutal conflict has left an estimated 19 million children out of school, a crisis that continues to deepen as fighting displaces families and damages facilities.
Nigeria has documented dozens of attacks on schools and multiple mass abductions, contributing to school closures in several states and adding to a pre-existing out-of-school population. (UNICEF)
The number of children and youth affected by conflict-related displacement globally reached record highs by 2024, compounding pressures on schooling systems in host areas. (Open Knowledge )

These high-level numbers mask regional variation: the Sahel, Lake Chad basin, parts of Nigeria, the Horn of Africa, eastern DRC and parts of the Sahel and Central Africa are among the worst affected. The result is a loss of years of learning and a generation at risk of life-long disadvantage.

Who suffers most: girls, marginalised children, and the long-term costs

The burdens of insecurity are not equally distributed. Girls face elevated risks of gender-based violence, early marriage and school dropout in insecure settings. Children from poor or rural communities, and those in informal settlements or displacement camps, are least likely to regain disrupted education quickly.

The long-term costs are severe: interrupted schooling reduces lifetime earnings, worsens health outcomes and increases vulnerability to exploitation. Countries also lose a vital pathway to social cohesion and economic development — education is a protective factor against cycles of violence, but insecurity erodes that protection.

How insecurity changes the nature of schooling

Insecure environments force adaptations in how education is delivered:

School closures and temporary learning spaces. Where permanent schools are unsafe, humanitarian actors and governments set up temporary learning centres in displacement camps or host communities. These are vital but often under-resourced. (response.reliefweb.int)
Remote and accelerated learning. Where possible, radio lessons, mobile learning and accelerated catch-up programs help preserve some learning, but they rarely match the quality or reach of formal schooling.
Non-formal pathways. Programs offering literacy, life skills and vocational learning can be lifesaving for adolescents who cannot access mainstream schooling.
Protection-focused schooling models. In many conflict zones, education provision includes psychosocial support, child protection mechanisms and safe reporting channels.

These shifts demonstrate resilience and creativity, but they are stopgaps unless accompanied by sustained investment in safe, inclusive systems.

Evidence-based interventions that protect learning

International agencies, researchers and practitioners point to several interventions that make schooling more resilient to insecurity:

1. Protecting schools as safe spaces

International humanitarian norms call for the protection of education infrastructure and the prevention of military use of schools. Advocacy, monitoring and rapid response when attacks occur are essential. Efforts to negotiate safe access (e.g., local peace agreements) have sometimes reopened classrooms. (United Nations)

2. Community engagement and local protection

When communities are empowered to protect schools — through neighbourhood patrols, local conflict-resolution mechanisms, or community watch groups — schools are more likely to stay open. Building trust between authorities, communities and humanitarian actors is critical.

3. Flexible and context-specific delivery

Blended approaches that combine temporary learning centres, accelerated programs and accredited catch-up curricula help displaced and out-of-school children re-enter formal systems. Radio and mobile learning can reach isolated children when infrastructure permits. (response.reliefweb.int)

4. Teacher protection and incentives

Ensuring teacher safety, paying hazard allowances, and supporting teacher mental health are practical steps to keep educators in post. Training on psychosocial support produces measurable gains in learning continuity.

5. Data, monitoring and rapid financing

Early-warning systems that track school closures, attacks on education and displacement allow faster humanitarian and government responses. Flexible financing mechanisms that can be deployed quickly (contingency funds, education in emergencies grants) are decisive in saving school years.

Barriers to effective response

Despite clear priorities, obstacles persist:

Funding shortfalls. Education in emergencies is often underfunded compared with other humanitarian needs.
Political access and insecurity. Humanitarian actors cannot always reach hard-to-access conflict zones.
Weak national systems. Countries with fragile governance may struggle to coordinate education responses at scale.
Stigma and social barriers. Even after schools reopen, families may be reluctant to send children back because of trauma, economic pressures, or fear.

These barriers mean that responses must be multi-sectoral — linking education, protection, health, shelter and livelihoods.

A practical roadmap: what governments and partners should do now

Prioritise safe schooling in national security strategies. Protection of education must be mainstreamed into national responses to conflict and crime. (UNICEF)
Scale flexible, fundable education-in-emergencies programs. Create contingency budgets and agree faster disbursement mechanisms.
Invest in teachers and psychosocial support. Teachers are the single most important school-level resource. Support them.
Close digital and access gaps where possible. Where safe, deploy radio and mobile programs to maintain learning continuity.
Strengthen community-led protection and local governance. Local actors often succeed where external actors cannot reach.
Collect data and publish regular school-closure monitoring. Transparency drives timely action.

Conclusion — insecurity is reversible when education is protected

Insecurity has pushed millions of African children out of school and put an entire generation at risk. The damage is deep — educational losses compound social, economic and health vulnerabilities. But the crisis is not irreversible. With targeted, well-funded action that protects schools, supports teachers, and keeps children learning even in displacement, countries can prevent temporary shocks from becoming lifelong losses.

Protecting education from the effects of insecurity is therefore not just a humanitarian priority — it is an investment in peace, economic recovery and the continent’s future.