The African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) has approved an $8.8 million initiative to expand access to education for children in 19 conflict-affected African countries, underscoring growing continental efforts to protect schools and prevent armed conflicts from depriving millions of children of learning opportunities.
The funding was announced as the PSC convened a high-level session on “Education in Situations of Armed Conflict” on Monday, opening its August programme of work with calls for stronger protection of education systems, increased investment in emergency learning programmes and closer coordination among African governments and partners.
In his address at the opening session, Algeria’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Mohamed Khaled, who is chairing the Peace and Security Council for August, said the initiative aims to ensure that millions of children continue to have access to education despite conflict and instability, helping reduce the risks of recruitment by armed groups, exploitation, violence and forced displacement.
He also unveiled an initiative by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to provide medical equipment to school clinics in some of the continent’s most vulnerable areas, strengthening health services for children in conflict-affected communities.
Khaled urged greater protection for schools, teachers and students, while calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
He also called for sustainable financing for education in emergencies and stronger African and international solidarity to guarantee every child’s right to safe, inclusive and uninterrupted education.
“Education is one of the most effective foundations for preventing conflict and building sustainable peace,” Khaled said, adding that safeguarding children’s access to learning is essential to building a more secure, stable and prosperous Africa.
The session brought together senior AU officials and international partners, including Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Amma Twum-Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development; Professor Gaspar Banyankimbona, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation; Sabrina Gahar, Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; Jinaba Jagne, the AU Special Envoy on Children Affected by Armed Conflict; Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the AU and Chair of the African Platform on Children Affected by Armed Conflict; and a representative of UNICEF.
Participants warned that repeated attacks on schools, the military use of educational facilities and the growing number of displaced and refugee children continue to threaten access to education across the continent.
They affirmed that these challenges require a coordinated African response centred on protecting education as a fundamental human right and a key pillar of conflict prevention and sustainable peace.
The meeting also reviewed progress made since the AU launched the initiative in 2024 to strengthen protection for education in conflict settings. Council members, AU member states and development partners discussed ways to accelerate implementation of continental commitments, including advancing the Safe Schools Declaration and reinforcing mechanisms to protect children and educational institutions during armed conflicts.
In recent years, the AU has stepped up efforts to protect education in conflict-affected areas, warning that attacks on schools and prolonged disruptions to learning threaten children’s rights and undermine peacebuilding across the continent.
