‘I miss my school’: BBC launches Arabic programme for children in war zones

Tareq and Safaa are among the 30 million children who, according to the United Nations children’s agency Unicef, are out of school in the Middle East and North Africa. It estimates that more than half – 16.5 million – are in Sudan alone.

In response, the BBC World Service has launched an Arabic edition of its award-winning educational programme Dars – or Lesson.

In the past year in Gaza, “over 600,000 children – that’s all the school-aged children in Gaza – didn’t get education”, says Saleem Oweis, a spokesperson for Unicef.

“We’re seeing a pattern of how conflicts, insecurity and crises are inflicting real harm on children’s education and learning,” he adds.

In Sudan, nearly two years after a civil war erupted between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, millions of children are living in refugee camps where education is only available through local initiatives.

In an interview with the BBC, Sudan’s education minister, Ahmed Khalifa, highlights the scale of devastation.

“No state was spared,” he says. “Sudan has approximately 15,000 public schools. Between 60% and 70% of these schools have been completely damaged, losing their foundations, infrastructure and books.

“Even in safer states, schools have suffered damage due to systematic destruction by militias.”