#Education Cannot Wait #Ethiopia #Nicolai Wammen #Tigray #Yasmine Sherif

Urgent Need for Innovative Funding in Ethiopian Education Crisis

In an alarming development, nearly 9 million children in Ethiopia are currently out of school, primarily due to ongoing violence, climate change-induced disasters, and widespread forced displacement. This figure represents a staggering triple increase since 2022, highlighting the critical state of education in the country. Nearly 18% of schools have either been destroyed or damaged, exacerbating the education crisis. Furthermore, Ethiopia hosts the third-largest population of refugees in Africa, with over 200,000 recent arrivals from Sudan and Somalia between 2023 and 2024.

During a recent high-level mission to Ethiopia by the global champion of the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) initiative, Danish Minister of Finance Nicolai Wammen and ECW Executive Director Yasmine Sherif underscored the urgent need for bold actions from donors. They emphasized the importance of innovative financial solutions to secure quality education for millions of children affected by crises in Ethiopia and beyond.

The ECW delegation focused particularly on the Tigray region, which is beginning to recover from a three-year conflict that halted educational services entirely. They visited schools funded by ECW and engaged with students, parents, and teachers, witnessing firsthand the impact of ECW-supported programs implemented by UN agencies and various NGOs like UNICEF, Save the Children, and others.

One notable success story emerged from a school visited by the delegation, which saw a 20% increase in student enrollment last year due to comprehensive interventions funded by ECW. Sherif remarked, “The education crisis in Ethiopia is one of the largest silent emergencies globally. However, we observe a remarkable impact from ECW’s investments. The enthusiasm for learning is evident among both girls and boys. We must support them and urgently appeal to strategic partners for additional funding.”

In an important announcement during the visit, Sherif revealed a new emergency grant of $5 million from the ECW’s First Emergency Response Fund, raising total investments in Ethiopia to over $93 million. The latest grant aims to address pressing educational needs in the regions of Oromia and Afar, where renewed conflicts and natural disasters have severely disrupted educational services.

Wammen joined in the appeal for additional funding, stating, “We need partners from the private sector to join ECW’s efforts and invest in new strategies to fill the growing funding gap. Operating as usual will not meet this challenge.”

To date, ECW’s combined multi-year and emergency investments have reached more than 550,000 children and adolescents in Ethiopia, providing a comprehensive range of support services. UNICEF Ethiopia representative Dr. Aboubacar Kampo expressed gratitude for ECW’s continued support, affirming that children are returning to classrooms and learning environments thanks to this initiative. Imagine1Day, another organization receiving funding, highlighted its commitment to providing educational access to over 13,000 out-of-school children in Afar, with a focus on inclusivity, particularly for girls and children with disabilities.

Looking forward, Education Cannot Wait urgently seeks an additional $64 million to address acute educational needs as part of Ethiopia's 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan. Addressing this crisis is critical, not just for the immediate future of these children but for the stability of the region as a whole.

Investing in education is not merely a matter of funding classrooms; it's about securing a brighter future for generations that have been disproportionately affected by conflict and crises. The time to act is now, as the future of millions rests on the decisions made today.