FAME Foundation Calls For Stronger Protection Of Education From Attack

FAME Foundation joins the global community to commemorate the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, observed annually on September 9 to draw attention to the devastating impact of attacks on schools, students, teachers, and education systems in conflict- and crisis-affected communities.

The 2026 theme, “Can education survive attack? The resilience of human communities,” highlights the resilience of communities that continue to protect learning and pursue education despite violence, displacement, and insecurity.

Education is often one of the first areas to suffer when communities experience conflict and insecurity. Attacks on schools, threats against students and teachers, school closures, and displacement can interrupt children’s education and expose them to further risks. Prolonged disruption can also affect children’s development, wellbeing, and future opportunities.

In Nigeria, the issue remains particularly significant as insecurity, insurgency, banditry, and communal violence continue to affect communities and disrupt access to education. Children in conflict-affected and displaced communities may experience prolonged interruptions to schooling, while families are forced to make difficult decisions between safety and education.

Speaking to the press, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, Executive Director, FAME Foundation, emphasized that protecting education requires sustained action from all sectors of society.

“Education is a fundamental right, and conflict must not be allowed to take that right away from children. When schools are attacked or children are forced out of classrooms because of insecurity, the impact goes beyond missed lessons. It affects their sense of stability, their development, and their hopes for the future. Protecting education means protecting the future of our communities.”

The 2026 theme places particular emphasis on the resilience of human communities and their efforts to keep education alive during periods of crisis. This resilience must be supported through safe learning environments, stronger protection mechanisms, appropriate support for affected children and families, and policies that ensure education can continue during emergencies.

FAME Foundation believes that protecting education also requires addressing the conditions that place children, teachers, and schools at risk. Stronger community protection, effective responses to insecurity, support for displaced families, and sustained investment in education are essential to preventing conflict from permanently disrupting children’s futures.

She added:

“We must move beyond responding to the consequences of attacks on education and strengthen the systems that can prevent these disruptions in the first place. Children should be able to learn without fear, teachers should be able to teach safely, and communities should have the support needed to keep education accessible even during difficult times.”

FAME Foundation remains committed to advancing opportunities that promote education, inclusion, child protection, and the wellbeing of children and young people. The organisation continues to advocate for environments where every child can learn, develop their potential, and participate meaningfully in society, regardless of their background or circumstances.

The International Day to Protect Education from Attack is a reminder that education must remain protected even in the face of crisis. Governments, communities, civil society organisations, development partners, and other stakeholders must strengthen collective efforts to safeguard schools and learners and ensure that violence does not determine who gets to learn or whose future is placed on hold.

Arabinrin Aderonke concluded:

“Education gives communities the ability to rebuild, recover, and look toward a better future. Protecting it is therefore not only about protecting classrooms; it is about protecting the resilience and possibilities of generations to come.”