Empty site of Chibok Girls Secondary School where on 14 April 275 girls were stolen by Boko Haram

No fewer than 910 schools were destroyed, while at least 1,500 others were forced to close between 2009 and 2015 due to activities of Boko Haram insurgency in North east, the UN report has said.

Mr Oluseyi Soremekun, UN National Information Officer, stated this in a Media Advisory  heralding the launch of the 2016 “Global Education Monitoring Report in Nigeria”.

Soremekun said the report is due for launch on Monday by UNESCO and the Federal Ministry of Education.

The UN official said that by early 2016, an estimated 952,029 school-age children had fled the violence in the zone, quoting a portion of the report.

“According to the report, between 2009 and 2015, attacks in north-eastern Nigeria, destroyed more than 910 schools and forced at least 1,500 to close protect children and teachers at risk.

“By early 2016, an estimated 952,029 school-age children had fled the violence.

“As of 2015, in Nigeria, where Boko Haram has targeted education workers and students, at least 611 teachers had been deliberately killed and 19,000 forced to flee since 2009,” the report said.

He said UNESCO and the Federal Ministry of Education are organising a Stakeholders Forum on the implementation of Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and also launch the Report.

The UN official said the theme of the report is: ‘Education for people and planet: Creating sustainable futures for all’.

The new Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report by UNESCO, shows the potential for education to propel progress towards all global goals outlined in the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

According to the report, there is an urgent need for progress in education to speed up development.

“On current trends, universal primary education in sub-Saharan Africa will be achieved in 2080, while universal lower secondary completion will be achieved in 2089.

“The universal upper secondary completion will also be achieved in 2099. This would leave the region 70 years late for the 2030 SDGs deadline,” the report said. (NAN)

(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)