In Mali, a worrying situation is unfolding in the world of education. Imagine: 1657 schools have been forced to close their doors due to insecurity or humanitarian crises. It’s as if a large part of the places where you learn has disappeared! This closure affects 497,100 students, which is a lot of children like you, and 9942 teachers who find themselves unemployed.
Imagine, in some regions like Douentza, over 30 schools have closed! It’s as if an entire city of schools is disappearing. And that’s not all, other cities like Bandiagara, Timbuktu, Ségou, Mopti, Menaka, Gao, and Tenenkou are also affected. It’s as if access to education has become very difficult everywhere.
But why are these schools closing? It’s because of insecurity. Some schools are even being used by armed groups. It’s as if these learning places have become dangerous. And for children, it means they can no longer go to school safely. Some even risk being forcibly recruited into dangerous groups.
Faced with this crisis, many people are calling on the authorities to find solutions. They want every child to have the right to go to school safely. It’s as if everyone is saying, « Education is important for all children, no matter where they live! » Let’s hope that soon, all these schools will reopen and that children can learn and have fun at school again.
