As schools open this week in Yemen, UNICEF urges all parties to the conflict to protect schools, Relief Web reported on Tuesday.

The UN agency has asked for 34 million dollars for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged schools, provision of teaching and learning resources, training of teachers and community workers to carry out the Back-to-School campaign.

Since the conflict escalated more than 18 months ago, attacks on school children, teachers and education infrastructure had a devastating impact on the country’s education system – and on the chances of millions of children to access learning.

“Children were killed on their way to school or while at school”, said UNICEF Yemen Representative, Julien Harneis.

“Parties to the conflict should keep children and schools out of harm to give education a chance”, he added.

Due to violence and the closure of schools, more than 350,000 children were unable to resume their education in the past school year, bringing the total of out-of-school children in Yemen to over two million. “Children who are out of school are at risk of recruitment to fight”, added Harneis.

Source: MENA