The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Nigeria, Christian Munduate, on Friday lamented that no fewer than 2,295 teachers have been killed in 13 years and about 6,800 children’s rights gravely violated due to insurgency in the Northeast.
Munduate, who bemoaned the nightmare and violations children in the region suffered, described it as a “devastating reality.”
She highlighted the series of attacks on teachers which had resulted in the death of 2,295 teachers and the closing down of over 1,500 schools and the destruction of 910 schools due to insurgency and insecurity.
As a result of the situation, only 29 percent of schools in the region have teachers with the minimum qualification, with the average pupil-to-teacher ratio put at about 124 to 1.
Only 47 percent of schools in Borno State have furniture, but same can’t be said for Yobe and Adamawa with 32 percent and 26 percent respectively.
The UNICEF country representative said: “The statistics are disturbing; the reality is devastating. It has been 9 years since the horrendous abduction of the Chibok girls, yet the nightmare continues as children are still being kidnapped, forcibly recruited, killed and injured– their futures torn away.
“Since 2014, there have been over 2,400 incidents of grave violations verified, affecting over 6,800 children in the North-East.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of Nigeria’s children. We must do everything in our power to ensure they grow up in safety with access to education and the opportunity to fulfill their potential.
“The most common violations are recruitment or use of children by armed groups with 700 verified cases, followed by abductions of children, with 693 incidents, and killing and maiming, with 675 incidents.”
“Between 2009 and 2022, around 2,295 teachers were reportedly killed in attacks, over 19,000 teachers were displaced, more than 1,500 schools closed because of insecurity, and 910 schools were destroyed,” Munduate said.
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