For millions of children around the world, education is no longer just about learning it is about survival.

From extremist attacks on schools to the politicization of curricula, education systems are increasingly becoming battlegrounds in regions affected by conflict and instability.

Armed groups have repeatedly targeted schools as symbols of state authority and modern values.

In Nigeria, the Islamist militant group Boko Haram has carried out mass kidnappings and attacks on educational institutions, leaving communities traumatized and disrupting learning for years.

Similarly, in Afghanistan, restrictions on girls’ education have drawn international condemnation, with millions of girls denied access to secondary schooling.“These attacks are not random,” said a Geneva-based education analyst. “They are strategic — aimed at controlling narratives and limiting opportunities.”

According to the UNICEF, more than 200 million children worldwide are affected by conflict-related disruptions to education.

In war-torn regions such as Syria and Yemen, schools have been destroyed, repurposed as shelters, or abandoned altogether.

Even in relatively stable regions, the threat of violence has led to increased militarization of schools, with security forces stationed on campuses and strict surveillance measures in place.

The shift toward online learning accelerated by global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic has further deepened educational inequalities.In many conflict-affected areas, access to reliable internet and digital devices remains limited, leaving millions of students behind.

“Technology has the potential to bridge gaps, but in these contexts, it often widens them,” said an education policy expert.

Despite the challenges, communities are finding ways to keep education alive.

In refugee camps across the Middle East, volunteer teachers are running informal classes using donated materials. In parts of Africa, radio-based learning programs are reaching students in remote and insecure areas.

International organizations, including UNESCO, are working with governments to rebuild schools and train teachers in crisis response.“Education cannot wait,” said a UNESCO official. “It is a critical tool for stability and long-term peace”.

Experts warn that prolonged disruptions in education can create fertile ground for radicalization.

Without access to schooling and economic opportunities, young people may become more vulnerable to recruitment by extremist groups.

“Education is one of the strongest defenses against extremism,” said a counter-terrorism researcher. “When it collapses, the consequences can last for generations.”

Addressing the crisis will require sustained international cooperation and investment.

Humanitarian funding for education remains significantly under-resourced compared to other sectors such as food and health, despite its long-term importance.

Advocates argue that protecting education in conflict zones should be treated as a global priority, not an afterthought.

Back in northern Nigeria, the classroom lesson continues despite the risks. For the students, each day of schooling represents a small victory against forces that seek to disrupt their future.

“I want to become a doctor,” said one student, smiling shyly. “So I can help my community.

”In a world marked by conflict and division, such aspirations offer a reminder of what is at stake and what can still be saved.

A series of landslides struck several areas of the Gamo Zone last week after intense rainfall destabilized hillsides, local authorities said. As of Thursday, officials had confirmed 70 fatalities, but the regional government updated the toll to 125 in a statement released on its communications office’s Facebook account.

More than 11,000 people have been displaced by the disaster, the statement said, as rescue and relief efforts continue in affected communities.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the disaster zone on Saturday to offer condolences to residents and pledged government support for recovery and assistance efforts, according to a message posted on his X account.

Humanitarian organization Norwegian Refugee Council said the number of displaced people now represents roughly one in seven residents of Lebanon. The government has so far been able to accommodate only about 120,000 people in shelters as authorities scramble to open additional facilities and bring in emergency supplies.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said more than 700 people, including 103 children, have been killed since the fighting escalated.

Thousands of families fleeing Israeli evacuation orders have struggled to find accommodation, forcing many to sleep in tents, vehicles or on the streets of the capital Beirut.

Fatima Nazha, a wheelchair user who fled Beirut’s southern suburbs after evacuation warnings, said she spent two days sleeping outdoors with her family before moving into a tent at the country’s largest stadium after schools designated as shelters reached capacity.

Authorities have converted the stadium into a temporary shelter housing more than 800 displaced people in semi-open corridors beneath the stands. Facilities include basic toilets and sinks but limited electricity and no showers.

Humanitarian agencies say years of financial strain and underfunding have limited their ability to respond to the rapidly escalating crisis.

“The needs are escalating much faster than our capacity to respond,” said Mathieu Luciano, head of the International Organization for Migration in Lebanon, during a recent briefing.

Displaced residents have reported rising rents and stricter hotel screening in Beirut after Israeli strikes targeted locations where authorities said members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard were present.

An overnight Israeli strike in the Ramlet el-Bayda district of Beirut killed at least eight people and wounded more than 30, according to local officials, in an area where displaced families had been camping along the seafront.

The latest wave of displacement began after Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the start of the wider regional war.

Israel subsequently intensified air strikes across Lebanon and issued evacuation notices for dozens of villages south of the Litani River, later expanding warnings to residents of Dahiyeh, a densely populated area on Beirut’s southern edge.

Traffic congestion stretched for miles on major highways leading north from southern Lebanon as residents attempted to flee bombardment.

Along the border, some villages remained briefly populated as residents weighed whether to evacuate, but many ultimately fled after continued strikes and drone activity near the United Nations-monitored Blue Line separating the two countries.