40% Surge in Attacks on Education, Pupils, and Staff
Attacks on education pupils and staff – A new study reveals a 40% increase in attacks targeting education, pupils, and staff globally between 2024 and 2025. The report, released by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), highlights a staggering 8,556 recorded incidents, causing 10,600 casualties. These attacks include fatalities, injuries, abductions, and other forms of harm, underscoring the growing threat to learning environments and the people who sustain them. The findings emphasize the urgent need to address this escalating crisis.
Global Hotspots and Escalating Violence
Education, pupils, and staff in 83 countries have faced intensified attacks, with the most severe incidents concentrated in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Palestine, and Ukraine. Ukraine, for example, saw over 900 attacks on schools, while Palestine reported at least 2,400 assaults on students and educators. The study also notes a 91% rise in cases where armed groups occupied educational institutions, with 1,912 instances documented. This trend reflects a deliberate strategy to disrupt education in conflict zones.
Systematic Attacks on Educational Safety
GCPEA’s director, Lisa Chung Bender, explains that the increase is part of a more systematic pattern. “Attacks on education, pupils, and staff are no longer isolated but a calculated effort to dismantle learning spaces,” she said. The report underscores the erosion of global protections for children, with education, pupils, and staff becoming prime targets. If current trends continue, the safety of educational institutions may be permanently compromised, threatening the future of education worldwide.
“The rise in attacks on education, pupils, and staff signals a collapse of norms that once shielded learning environments.”
Regional Casualties and Targeted Incidents
Education, pupils, and staff in regions like Myanmar, Nigeria, Yemen, and Cameroon bore the brunt of the violence, with over 1,700 casualties recorded. Nigeria’s conflict zones saw more than 700 abductions, while Myanmar’s attacks led to 80 deaths and 240 injuries. The study also highlights targeted assaults on women and girls in 11 countries, such as the November 2025 attack on a girls’ boarding school in Nigeria, which killed a vice-principal and abducted 25 pupils.
Impact on Vulnerable Populations
Education, pupils, and staff with disabilities face heightened risks, as seen in Lebanon’s September 2025 incident where Israeli forces destroyed a school for children with special needs. The use of high explosives and drone-delivered weapons has worsened infrastructure damage, forcing many institutions to close. This disproportionately affects marginalized groups, deepening educational inequalities and destabilizing communities.
Legal and Humanitarian Consequences
War Child UK’s Kieran King stresses the legal violations associated with these attacks. “Since 2010, the number of children in conflict zones has risen by 60%, but attacks on education, pupils, and staff have surged by 373%,” he noted. The study links this escalation to weakened international legal frameworks, such as the Geneva Conventions, and reduced accountability for war crimes. Aid cuts from major donors like the US and UK have further strained efforts to protect education, pupils, and staff.
“Aid reductions have left the sector struggling to respond to the growing violence against education, pupils, and staff.”
Long-Term Effects on Education Systems
Experts warn that the ongoing attacks on education, pupils, and staff have long-term consequences for learning systems. Prof Tejendra Pherali from University College London highlights how these assaults undermine education as a peace-building tool. Children now perceive schools as unsafe havens, leading to the loss of academic opportunities and eroded trust in institutions. This crisis threatens progress in education, pupils, and staff worldwide, with potential repercussions for future generations.
Global Conflict Surge and Fatalities
The study coincides with a record number of international conflicts, as noted by Uppsala University’s conflict data program. In 2025, 65 conflicts were documented, with 13 classified as wars, resulting in at least 1,000 battle-related deaths. The total fatalities from organized violence reached 244,000, marking the second deadliest year since the 1994 Rwanda genocide. This surge in violence has exacerbated attacks on education, pupils, and staff, further destabilizing global learning ecosystems.
