Mali postpones new academic year by one month due to floods

By Oumar Sankare

BAMAKO, Mali (AA) - The Mali military administration on Monday postponed the start of the new academic year in schools and universities by at least a month due to floods in the country.

According to an official statement, the new academic year, which was scheduled to begin on Oct. 1, will begin on Nov. 4.

The administration is “taking into account the national state of disaster,” National Minister of Education Amadou Sy Savane read the statement on Mali’s national television.

From the beginning of the rainy season until Aug. 22, a total of 122 cases of flooding were recorded in the capital Bamako, and 17 regions. They affected 7,077 households, leaving 47,374 people affected, according to a government press release.

Last month, the Malian government declared a state of national disaster after floods killed 30 people and affected 47,374 others since the start of the rainy season in June.

On Aug. 20, Niger authorities also postponed the start of the new academic year in schools for at least a month due to floods in the country. The new academic year, which was scheduled to begin on Oct. 2, will begin on Oct. 28.

Since June, floods in Niger have claimed the lives of at least 285 people, affected nearly a million people, and damaged 73,582 homes.