Children are increasingly paying the price of armed conflict as attacks on schools, universities, students and teachers continue to rise, threatening access to education and depriving communities of a vital source of stability.
UNESCO says 1,680 attacks on schools were verified worldwide in 2025, a 33% increase from the 1,265 recorded the previous year. The rise has renewed calls for governments and parties to conflicts to do more to keep educational institutions safe even as wars and other crises continue.
The warning comes as the world marks the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on Wednesday, September 9, under the 2026 theme, “Can education survive attack? The resilience of human communities.”
UNESCO said the growing number of attacks reflects the worsening situation for education in conflict areas, where prolonged violence is exposing learners, teachers and schools to increasing danger.
“Attacks on education deprive students of their fundamental right to quality education and impede teachers’ ability to carry out their work,” UNESCO said, warning that schools, students and teachers are increasingly exposed to violence in conflict-affected areas.
The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack recorded 8,566 attacks on education in 2024 and 2025, more than 40% higher than the figure reported during the previous two-year period covering 2022 and 2023.
The attacks affected at least 10,600 students, teachers, professors and other education personnel. More than 1,900 incidents also involved schools and universities being used for military purposes.
Countries including Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Palestine and Ukraine recorded particularly high levels of attacks.
Ukraine alone reported about 900 attacks on schools during the two-year period, while at least 2,400 attacks affecting students, teachers and other education personnel were recorded in Palestine.
The damage caused by such attacks goes beyond buildings and classrooms. Fighting can force schools to shut down, while military occupation of educational facilities can deny children a safe place to learn and leave teachers without secure workplaces.
UNESCO estimates that 258 million children and adolescents have had their education disrupted by crises worldwide, including about 93 million who are completely out of school.
Of those affected, nearly 80% of crisis-hit children who are out of school — about 74 million — live in 20 countries facing some of the world's most severe crises.
Refugee children, internally displaced children and learners with disabilities face even greater difficulties in accessing education. UNESCO says about 74% of refugee children, 52% of internally displaced children and 45% of children with disabilities in crisis settings are out of school.
The UN says attacks on education take different forms, including the bombing or destruction of schools, occupation of learning facilities by armed forces or groups, abductions, killings, sexual violence, threats and attacks targeting students and teachers.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said more than 8,500 attacks worldwide had targeted schools, students and teachers over the past two years.
He described education as a fundamental human right and an important path towards peace and sustainable development.
International humanitarian law requires parties to armed conflicts to separate civilian targets from military ones and take measures to protect civilians. Schools and other education facilities are generally considered civilian objects and should not be deliberately attacked.
The UN Security Council has also strengthened international efforts to protect education through Resolution 2601, adopted in 2021. The resolution calls for greater protection of education from the effects of armed conflict, while the Safe Schools Declaration provides political commitments and practical guidance for keeping education facilities safe.
The International Day to Protect Education from Attack was established by the UN General Assembly in 2020 through Resolution 74/275, with September 9 designated as the annual day of observance. UNESCO and UNICEF were appointed to facilitate the commemoration.
In April 2026, UNESCO's Executive Board approved a new Preventative Plan of Action to Protect Education from Attack, with a focus on preparedness, response and recovery in countries affected by conflict and crisis.
UNESCO says protecting education is not only about preventing damage to school buildings. It also involves defending children's right to learn, keeping teachers safe and ensuring communities do not lose access to knowledge, life-saving skills and hope for the future.
The UN is calling on governments and parties involved in conflicts to respect international law, protect schools and other education facilities and allow children to continue learning safely despite war and instability.