Ethiopia’s Education Minister, Professor Brhanu Nega, has revealed that over 7.2 million students nationwide remain unable to return to school due to persistent security challenges in various regions.

Speaking at the Amhara Region Education Movement Forum in Bahir Dar City yesterday, the Minister highlighted the severe impact of security challenges on Ethiopia’s education sector. The forum was attended by senior government officials and stakeholders, including the President of the Amhara Region, Arega Kebede.

In his speech, Professor Brhanu Nega emphasized that the ongoing conflicts not only disrupt education but also poison the minds of children and youth, endangering their future. He stressed the urgent need to address these conflicts to restore stability and normalcy in the education system, as reported by Fana Broadcasting Corporation.

Supporting these remarks, the President of the Amhara Region, Arega Kebede, called on stakeholders to collaborate in mitigating the severe damage inflicted on education in the region. He urged collective efforts to rebuild and normalize the teaching and learning environment.

The forum also highlighted the alarming statistics linked to the ongoing security crisis. While plans were made to enroll and educate 7 million students in the Amhara Region during the current academic year, only 2.8 million have been registered thus far. Moreover, just 76,000 students were enrolled through two rounds of informal registration initiatives designed to mitigate the issue.