Schools Remaining Shut in Cabo Delgado: At Least 117 Education Institutions Continue to Be Closed
Title: schools in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado district still shut amid terror attacks and cyclones
Listen, pal, I'm gonna fill you in on the current woes of the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique
Since October 2017, the province has endured a bloody armed rebellion, with attacks attributed to extremist Islamic groups like ISIS. As a result, schools of this war-torn region suffer, with over a hundred still closed.
Álvaro Gonçalves, the director of the governor's office, shared with reporters that the districts of Macomia and Quissanga have taken the biggest hit, with a combined total of 65 schools shuttered.
But hey, wait a minute! This war-ravaged land has also felt the wrath of Cyclone Chido, which passed through on December 15, 2024, causing destruction on a massive scale.
According to Gonçalves, eight districts of Cabo Delgado were hit hardest by the cyclone, wiping out a staggering 1,419 classrooms. Though the government, with some solid help from partners, has already rebuilt and rehabilitated nearly three-hundred classrooms, there's still a great deal of work to be done.
Now, if you're keeping tabs, last February saw 105 schools still slammed shut in northern Mozambique due to armed violence, with at least 40 of them managed to open back up due to improved security conditions, as announced by the provincial director of Education and Culture, Ivaldo Quincardete.
In one particularly brutal year, 2024, at least 349 souls lost their lives in attacks by Islamic extremist groups in northern Mozambique, marking an alarming 36% surge in casualties compared to the previous year, according to a recent ACSS study.
By the way, the rainy season in Mozambique, from October to April, brought not one, but two cyclones, Chido and Dikeledi, that together claimed nearly 170 lives and caused immense destruction, mainly in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula.
Mozambique, what a rough ride it's been for this lovely land, carrying the brunt of global climate change, suffering devastating cyclones and extended periods of drought during the rainy season.
Want some more? Check out this fascinating read on how cinema in Mozambique manages to stay afloat amid turmoil.
Sources:
- Encyclopædia Britannica - "Cabo Delgado" - https://www.britannica.com/place/Cabo-Delgado-province-Mozambique
- Associated Press - "Mozambique: Waves of attacks and a devastating cyclone" - https://apnews.com/article/14f54d45c6fb44ec9e390b8ed36c5fc2
- Africa Center for Strategic Studies - "Cabo Delgado insurgency: ISIS-linked group seeks to establish caliphate in northern Mozambique" - https://www.acss.org/acss-research/cabo-delgado-insurgency-isis-linked-group-seeks-establish-caliphate-northern-mozambique
- UNICEF - "Education in Crisis: Mozambique" - https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/education-in-crisis/mozambique
- UNICEF - "13,000 children return to school in Mozambique thanks to UNICEF-supported catch-up classes" - https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/13-000-children-return-school-mozambique-unicef-supported-catch-classes
Insights:- At least 117 schools remain closed in Cabo Delgado, with major concentration in Macomia (35) and Quissanga (30) districts.- Various initiatives have been put forward by organizations such as UNICEF to support education access and recovery efforts in Cabo Delgado, including the installation of 95 temporary learning spaces, distribution of learning materials, catch-up classes, and literacy and numeracy training programs for adolescents.
These initiatives reflect substantial progress, but still underscore the considerable challenges that remain due to the combined impacts of terrorism and Cyclone Chido in the region.
In the midst of ongoing terror attacks and the cyclones, the world watches as schools in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado district, particularly Macomia and Quissanga, continue to remain closed due to ongoing violence. Meanwhile, politics and general news remain abuzz with updates on crime and justice as the region struggles to regain stability. Unseasonably harsh weather, like the destructive Cyclone Chido, further complicates the journey towards peace and normalcy.
