Ahmad 
A report issued by the “Global Coalition to Protect Education” revealed that more than 250 schools in Libya have been subjected to attacks over the past ten years as a result of fighting and floods in Derna.
The report confirmed the continuation of attacks on the education sector in various regions, especially in and around the capital, Tripoli, with educational institutions being used for military purposes on an intermittent basis.
The coalition’s report, entitled “Attacks on Education 2024,” indicated that intermittent violence between armed formations allied with the outgoing Government of National Unity and the government appointed by the House of Representatives continued during the years 2022 and 2023, which negatively affected schools.
The report stated that at least nine attacks were reported on schools during these two years, resulting in the destruction of at least three schools.
Among the disturbing events monitored by the coalition was the use of a school for military purposes in October 2022, when a mass grave containing 42 bodies was discovered in a school in the city of Sirte. The identities of the victims, the date of their burial, or the cause of death were not confirmed.
The report touched on the impact of the floods that swept eastern Libya in September 2023, causing the death of more than 4,300 people and the loss of more than 8,000 others. The infrastructure was also severely damaged, including nearly 280 schools.
As a result, more than 43,000 people were displaced and schools were used as shelters for internally displaced people, before they were later evacuated for the start of the school year.
Jerome Marsten, a researcher at the Global Alliance to Protect Education, confirmed that “on average, 8 attacks on education have been recorded every day over the past two years, which means that very large numbers of students are deprived of realizing their dreams of learning.”
Marsten called for the need for schools to be safe havens and not military targets, calling on all governments to ratify the Safe Schools Declaration.
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