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

Urgent Call to Action for Education in Ethiopia

The global fund Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has issued a pressing appeal for innovative financial strategies to address the educational needs of approximately 9 million children in Ethiopia who are currently outside the classroom. This call came during a recent high-level mission to Ethiopia, led by Nicolai Wammen, Denmark's Minister of Finance and ECW’s global champion, and Yasmine Sherif, the executive director of ECW.

In Ethiopia, ongoing violence, climate-related disasters, and forced displacements have resulted in a staggering threefold increase in the number of out-of-school children since 2022. Approximately 18% of schools in the nation have either been damaged or destroyed, significantly disrupting the educational system. Moreover, Ethiopia is home to one of the largest populations of refugees in Africa, with over 200,000 individuals fleeing conflict from neighboring countries such as Sudan and Somalia just in the past year.

As part of the mission, a delegation from ECW visited the Tigray region, which is gradually recovering from a three-year conflict that completely halted educational services. The team toured schools funded by ECW alongside partner organizations, witnessing firsthand the impact of educational programs implemented by UN agencies and various NGOs such as UNICEF and the Norwegian Refugee Council. Impressively, enrollment in one of the ECW-supported schools increased by 20% in just one year, illustrating the profound effect of these investments.

Yasmin Sherif expressed deep concern over the educational crisis unfolding in Ethiopia, labeling it one of the world's significant silent crises. She emphasized the urgency for strategic donor partners to step up their financial contributions to support educational initiatives for children affected by crises. During the mission, Sherif announced a new emergency response grant of $5 million, bringing ECW's total investments in Ethiopia to $93 million since 2017. This crisis response funding aims specifically to address urgent needs in the Oromia and Afar regions, where renewed conflicts and climate-induced challenges have exacerbated educational disruptions.

Nicolai Wammen highlighted the wealth of resilience among Ethiopian children, many of whom are facing immense challenges yet show a strong desire for education. He called upon private sector partners to invest in new financing strategies to help fill the growing funding gap for educational resources and infrastructure.

In response to the crisis, ECW's multi-year program aims to provide holistic support to affected regions, illustrating the effectiveness of quality education as a transformative tool for children in crisis. These efforts represent a vital lifeline for over 550,000 children and adolescents across Ethiopia, enabling them to access safe and conducive learning environments.

UNICEF and Imagine1Day, partners in these initiatives, praised ECW's support, noting the integral role it plays in facilitating children's learning across the nation. The funding not only enhances access to education, particularly for vulnerable groups like girls and children with disabilities, but it also helps empower these youth to realize their full potential.

As the crisis deepens and educational funding continues to lag, ECW is urging donors to meet a shortfall of $64 million to address the urgent educational needs outlined in Ethiopia's 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan. Investing in education now is crucial to ensure that no child is left behind, especially in a nation where the need is so dire.

The situation in Ethiopia serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing millions of children worldwide and highlights the critical importance of dedicated resources and support systems to help them thrive, even in the most trying circumstances.