Disrupted educational pathways: The effects of conflict on adolescent educational access and learning in war-torn Ethiopia

Abstract

As the mid-way point for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) timeframe nears, countries affected by conflict and fragility represent one of the key challenges to achieving SDG 4—-ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Drawing on qualitative research undertaken in late 2021 in South Gondar zone, in Ethiopia’s war-torn northern Amhara region, with adolescent girls and boys (n = 80), their caregivers (n = 11) community leaders and local service providers, including teachers (n = 31), this article explores the experiences of young people during and after their communities were occupied by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, and the multi-pronged effects the conflict has had on their educational pathways. It finds that for many, schooling has been disrupted by: recruitment into the armed forces or organized youth movements (Fano); destruction of school infrastructure and records by the occupying forces; an inability to concentrate on education on account of trauma and stress; and a loss of educational aspirations given fears of prolonged insecurity. At the school level, it also identifies negative impacts in terms of teacher presence, teaching quality and the provisioning of educational activities; compounded by reduced education budgets as local, regional and federal government resources are diverted to the war effort. The article concludes with some reflections on the implications of our findings for government, development partners, communities, non-governmental organizations, and schools, in their efforts to strengthen education services and build resilience, including through linkages with social protection, justice, and psychosocial support services, in contexts of ongoing fragility.

Transformation of Traditional Islamic Education: Dayah as a Modern Educational Institution in Post-Conflict Aceh

“…The conflict has also disrupted the education system, with many students and teachers forced to flee their homes and schools. The conflict has also led to a decline in the quality of education, with many schools struggling to provide adequate resources and support to students (Jones et al, 2022).…”

Work-related burnout among public secondary school teachers is significantly influenced by the psychosocial work factors: a cross-sectional study from Ethiopia

“…Researchers have investigated that teacher burnout results from an imbalance between teaching demands (e.g., problematic student behavior, administrative demands) and teaching resources (e.g., school support staff, availability of teaching materials) ( Iancu et al, 2018 ). In addition, it is an observable condition that students in secondary schools show demotivation and lack of interest in learning and studying as a result of the political crisis, and the economic and educational situation in Ethiopia ( Jones et al, 2022 ), which in turn affects the psychological condition of school teachers, leading to burnout ( Sharifian and Kennedy, 2019 ). The psychological health factors associated with WRB have been investigated in several studies.…”