Violence targeting educational institutions, students and teaching staff has increased dramatically across the world, with a new international study revealing a 40% rise in attacks on education over the past two years. The report highlights a growing global crisis in which schools and universities are increasingly becoming targets in conflict zones, leaving thousands of children and educators dead, injured, abducted or deprived of access to education.
According to the study released by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), more than 8,500 incidents involving attacks on education were documented during 2024 and 2025 across 83 countries. The report estimates that over 10,600 students, teachers and education personnel were killed, wounded, kidnapped, detained or otherwise affected during this period.
Countries recording the highest levels of violence against education included Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Palestine and Ukraine. In Ukraine alone, around 900 attacks on schools were reported, while Palestine witnessed approximately 2,400 incidents involving students and educational staff, making it one of the most affected regions globally.
The study also found a sharp increase in the military use of educational institutions. Cases in which armed groups or military forces occupied schools and universities nearly doubled compared to the previous reporting period, with more than 1,900 such incidents documented. Experts warn that such practices not only disrupt learning but also expose children and teachers to heightened risks during armed conflicts.
Researchers noted that Myanmar, Nigeria, Yemen and Cameroon recorded some of the highest numbers of casualties among students and education workers. Collectively, these countries accounted for more than 1,700 deaths and injuries. Nigeria continued to witness large-scale kidnappings linked to schools, with more than 700 students and staff reportedly abducted during the reporting period. In Myanmar, dozens of students and teachers were killed and hundreds injured in attacks linked to the country’s ongoing conflict.
The report further highlighted that girls and women were specifically targeted in several countries because of their gender. In some cases, armed groups attacked girls’ schools and abducted female students. Children with disabilities were also among the victims, with educational facilities catering to special-needs students facing destruction in conflict-affected areas.
Experts associated with the study warned that attacks on education are becoming increasingly systematic rather than isolated incidents. They argued that schools, once regarded as safe spaces for children, are now being drawn into broader conflicts. Beyond physical harm, such violence has long-term consequences for children’s education, mental well-being and future opportunities.
Humanitarian organisations have described attacks on schools as serious violations of international law and expressed concern that growing global conflicts, coupled with weakening accountability mechanisms and reductions in humanitarian funding, are contributing to the worsening situation. Since 2010, the number of children living in conflict zones has risen substantially, while documented violations against children, including attacks on education, have surged.
The findings come at a time when international researchers have recorded the highest number of state-based conflicts since the end of the Second World War. Data from global conflict monitoring agencies indicates that 2025 witnessed 65 active conflicts worldwide, including 13 full-scale wars, resulting in more than 244,000 deaths from organised violence. Against this backdrop, education advocates are urging governments and international bodies to strengthen protections for schools, hold perpetrators accountable and ensure that educational institutions remain safe spaces for learning even during times of conflict.
