10 Million Children in West and Central Africa Out of School Due to Severe Flooding

The international non-governmental organization “Save the Children” has issued an urgent warning that approximately 10 million children in West and Central Africa are currently out of school due to devastating floods that have swept across the region. Countries like Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been heavily impacted, with the floods not only displacing nearly one million people but also severely damaging educational infrastructure.

In Nigeria alone, Borno State has seen at least 3 million children deprived of education, with 2.2 million newly affected due to widespread school closures following the floods. The humanitarian crisis has led organizations like Save the Children and UNICEF to call on donors to provide urgent assistance to affected populations.

The organizations are emphasizing the need for immediate alternative education solutions for displaced children, while also calling for greater resilience in educational institutions to protect against future extreme weather events. Without swift action, millions of children in the region could face long-term disruptions to their education, leading to greater social and economic disparities in the future.