9 Million Ethiopian Children Have Been Forced Out Of School: What The Government Must Do

(MENAFN- The Conversation) More than nine million Ethiopian children are currently out of school . They are caught in the crossfire of armed conflicts , natural disasters , tribal tensions and economic hardships .

In 2023, Ethiopia had a total school-aged population of 35,444,482 children, about 52% of them primary school-aged. In the same year, only 22,949,597 children were enrolled in schools, leaving over 35% of school-aged children out of school. In the past year, the ongoing humanitarian crisis has worsened the situation, forcing even more children out of school.

Armed conflict erupted in 2020 between the federal government and Tigray regional government. The crisis was compounded by armed resistance to the government in the two largest regional states, Amhara and Oromia. There are also ongoing conflicts between the pastoralist communities of the Afar and Somali regions .

The Tigray war drained the nation's economic resources . The destruction of infrastructure, particularly schools, in this conflict forced over a million children out of school. Since then conflict in the nine regions has also undermined government control, causing widespread disruptions to essential services, including education and healthcare.

Most recently, natural disasters, including earthquakes in the eastern parts of the country , have displaced tens of thousands of civilians, including children.

The numbers tell the story. As of November 2024, around 10,000 schools were damaged and over 6,000 schools were closed due to conflict, violence and natural disasters. The worst hit regions are Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, Somali and Afar.

In three of these – Amhara, Oromia and Tigray – a total of 8,910,000 children are out of school. Amhara is particularly hard hit with only 2.3 million students enrolling for the current academic year out of 7 million.

I am a scholar of education policy with close to 15 years of research on Ethiopia's education sector. It's my view that children have borne the heaviest burden from the challenges that have overwhelmed the country's capacity to provide essential services.

Leaving millions of children out of school has devastating consequences. There is a well documented increased risk of child labour , early marriage , and other forms of exploitation . Children who miss out on early education also face lifelong disadvantages, including limited employment opportunities and greater vulnerability to poverty and social exclusion.

When children are not in school and miss out on learning, the consequences are far-reaching. At a personal level , disrupted education hinders their cognitive, social and emotional development. It limits their ability to acquire skills needed for personal growth and future employment. At the societal level , a lack of education drives cycles of poverty, reduces economic productivity and weakens social cohesion. Under-educated citizens are less equipped to take an active part in civic life. It also stifles innovation, worsens inequalities and holds back national progress and stability.

Despair and hopelessness have driven countless young people from Ethiopia to risk their lives on dangerous migration routes to the Middle East. The loss of educational opportunities for millions of children also undermines the nation's capacity to develop the human capital needed for its growth. An uneducated population is more susceptible to being drawn into ongoing conflict.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in April 2018 with a pledge of change for Ethiopia. But Abiy's government often sidesteps critical challenges, choosing to amplify positive narratives over confronting pressing issues.

Instead of tackling the crisis directly, Abiy has left regional state governments to find resources. For example, in November 2024, it was left to an advocacy group formed by Amhara's ten public universities to appeal to donors for aid for education.

In early January 2025, the Amhara regional state government also asked stakeholders to help reopen closed schools. In Ethiopia's federal structure , the education ministry sets national policies and standards, and manages higher education. Regional governments carry out these policies, oversee primary and secondary education, and adapt curricula to local contexts. Budgets are shared based mainly on the population size of each regional state.

Denying the reality of the crisis only deepens the wounds of the nation and delays the necessary actions for peace and recovery. It's now time for Abiy's government to take action. It must:

• confront the crisis

• engage in dialogue to resolve conflicts

• appeal for international support.

The scale of the disruption demands a coordinated and comprehensive humanitarian response. Global development aid partners need to recognise that the education crisis in Ethiopia deserves immediate and sustained attention. Another round of global funds dedicated to education in emergencies is urgently needed.

The collective duty should extend beyond providing immediate relief. It should also encourage the Ethiopian government to resolve its various internal conflicts through peaceful dialogue. Diplomacy, negotiation and reconciliation should take precedence over war and violence.

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