Over 550 schools still used as military camps in Ethiopia’s Tigray region

By Sadik Kedir Abdu

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) – More than 550 schools in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region are still being used as military camps, a regional education official said Monday.

Ato Redai G. Ezger, deputy head of the Tigray Regional Education Bureau, told daily Addis Maleda that 552 schools remain under the control of armed groups, severely hindering normal teaching and learning activities.

"Although some schools have resumed operations, many are still not functioning properly due to the military presence," Redai said, highlighting the security concerns in schools near the border with the Amhara region.

He also noted that out of 2,492 schools in the region, only 1,835 are currently offering educational services after the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

Local authorities continue to face challenges in fully restoring the education system as the region struggles to recover from the impacts of a war between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and the federal government, which lasted for two years.

The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions since November 2020.

Hostilities subsided after the two sides signed agreements in Pretoria and Nairobi in November 2022.