The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised an urgent alarm over the closure of 45 percent of schools in Cameroon’s Anglophone North West and South West regions.
In a statement released Wednesday, August 13, UNICEF reported that 2,533 out of 5,517 schools remained non-functional as of March 2025, threatening the future of 1.4 million crisis-affected children.
The closure stems from the prolonged conflict in the Anglophone regions, where separatist violence has disrupted education services since the crisis escalated in 2017.
UNICEF emphasized that education remains a critical priority need, and the shutdown exacerbates vulnerabilities among children.
Without immediate intervention, the agency warned, these children face the risks of recruitment by non-state armed groups, child marriage, sexual exploitation, abuse, child labor, trafficking, and gender-based violence.
“Education continues to be a priority need in Cameroon’s crisis-affected areas,” UNICEF stated. “The disruption of education services is critical, with the North-West and South-West regions particularly affected.”
The Anglophone crisis, which started with lawyers and teachers grievances over marginalization and language policies, has led to widespread school boycotts and attacks on educational infrastructure.
Recent reports from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have documented the targeting of schools by armed groups, further complicating efforts to restore normalcy.
UNICEF’s data, collected as of March 2025, shows little improvement, despite the relative return of peace to many areas.
Several schools reopened their doors over the 2024/2025 school year in many areas. In Lebialem, schools like Seat of Wisdom College opened its doors for the first time, with the First School Leaving Certificate written in villages like Bechati for the first time since 2016.
The recent UNICEF data indicates more needs to be done to get schools resume.
