Sure! Here’s the American English translation:
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While the world commemorates the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, an alarming reality emerges: between 2022 and 2023, more than 10,000 students were killed, kidnapped, arrested, or injured in attacks against educational institutions. The UN Secretary-General’s annual report on Children and Armed Conflict for 2024 documents a total of 41,370 incidents, the highest figure in nearly 30 years of this mandate.
The organization Education Cannot Wait (ECW), focused on education in emergencies, has issued an urgent call, warning that attacks on schools have become a globally escalating epidemic. During the same period, the UN recorded nearly 6,000 attacks aimed at students, educators, and educational institutions. Even more concerning is the increase in the use of schools for military purposes, which has risen by 20%.
The geography of violence in the educational sector reveals a bleak map. Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported 8,554 violations, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 4,043, Somalia with 2,568, Nigeria with 2,436, and Haiti with 2,269. Countries like Lebanon and Mozambique have also seen brutal increases of 545% and 525%, respectively.
A notable case illustrating this situation is the Vasylkivka No. 1 Support Lyceum in Ukraine, where a missile struck its facilities weeks before the school year began. Although there were no fatalities, the school suffered severe damage, with destroyed structures and essential systems inoperable. This is just one of over 1,600 educational centers affected in Ukraine.
In light of this grim scenario, Education Cannot Wait and its allies are ramping up efforts to provide educational support worldwide, including psychosocial assistance and the reconstruction of classrooms. However, the message is clear: the actions taken so far are insufficient.
As the students of Vasylkivka Lyceum strive to reclaim their school and future, the international community faces a critical challenge: to transform classrooms—currently battlefields—into sanctuaries of hope. Education Cannot Wait emphasizes that investing in today’s education is ensuring a more peaceful tomorrow for everyone. The urgency for action cannot be ignored.
via: MiMub in Spanish
