by Neba Jerome Ambe

From September 7 TO 9, 2021, the female-led International Non-Profit, Non-Governmental Organization Nkumu Fed Fed had three days of activities sensitizing educational state holders and students in the Northwest Region about the importance of not attacking educational facilities.

During the final day of the regional delegation of Secondary education, Mrs. Eunice Tita Tata, the President General of Nkumu Fed Fed said education is one of the program areas of Nkumu Fed Fed, it was important to sensitize, educational stakeholders on the measures to take to prevent education from attacks. Prizes were awarded to some outstanding students at the end of the event.

It should be recalled that on May 28, 2020, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 74/275, establishing September 9 as the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

Recognizing the importance of raising awareness of the dire need to preserve education and protect it from attack, the Resolution designates UNESCO and UNICEF to serve as co-facilitators for the yearly observance of this Day and calls upon stakeholders to keep this issue at the top of the international agenda and duly act to alleviate the plight of students affected by armed conflicts. 

Armed conflicts present many devastating barriers to learning, impacting access to quality, equitable, inclusive, and safe education. Today's nature of protracted conflicts negatively affects the future of entire generations of learners, particularly that of children and other vulnerable populations, with lasting consequences that deny them lifelong learning opportunities, economic prosperity, development, and peace. The right to education must be respected, upheld, and enjoyed by everyone, especially in contexts of armed conflict and insecurity.