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Over 380,000 children remain out of school in northern Mali: UNICEF

Xinhua, December 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

As the Malian school year enters its third month, over 380,000 children aged 7 to 15 remain without access to education almost four years after the security situation in northern parts of the country worsened, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.

"Children in northern Mali know too well the impact of conflict, poverty and deprivation," UNICEF representative in Mali Fran Equiza highlighted, adding "education is their best hope for the future."

More than 280 schools in conflict-affected areas in northern parts of the African country are currently closed after having been damaged, destroyed, looted or occupied by warring factions.

With many schools unattended by students for the third year in a row, closures are affecting one in every six schools in northern Mali.

In Kidal, one of the worst hit areas, almost eight out of every 10 schools are closed.

UNICEF indicated that insecurity, unexploded mines and other war-remnants are further compounding the situation as parents are forced to keep their children away from classrooms.

"The dream of building a better future for Mali's children depends on action now," Equiza iterated.

"Better humanitarian access and more resources can't come soon enough for those who have been deprived for so long. Education is their best hope for the future," he added.

The UN Children's Fund is attempting to give children back their right to education through a two-year campaign focusing on the Gao, Kidal, Mopti, Segou and Timbuktu areas.

This campaign includes training and providing learning materials for 2,000 teachers, as well as facilitating a range of education kits and peace-promoting activities for 100,000 children.

Some 1,4 million children are affected by the Malian crisis which has internally displaced close to 62,000 people and forced 139,000 to flee the country. Endit