Back to School: Millions of Children May Never Return Back

Khalidu Adewale AFOLABI

As students in many parts of the world sharpen their pencils and don their uniforms, eager to return to school this September, a hauntingly different reality persists for countless children in the world, especially the Muslim world. For these young souls, the excitement of a new academic year is overshadowed by the grim challenges of conflict, displacement, and systemic neglect. This leaves one to continue to wonder if the global community, particularly the so-called world powers, is in any way worried about the plight of these innocent souls whose destinies are vulnerable if not already truncated, despite the global call to an all-inclusive world through Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In countries such as Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, the idea of returning to school remains a distant dream. Decades of conflict—often driven by foreign interventions and proxy wars—have decimated these nations, leaving education systems in tatters and communities fractured. Meanwhile, in Turkey, the school bell rings, students in Qatar are packing their bags, and those in Malaysia are readying their kits for the new term. Yet, in the same world, countless children lack the simple joy of preparing for school, filling cones with books, stationery, sweets, and toys, or enjoying a first-day lunch of rice with seaweed sauce and quail eggs.

Instead, the hopes of these kids lie in the balls of bombs that are thrown at their communities at sunrise, the sounds of bombshells that have become the lullabies that bring them to sleep at nights, the severed limbs of their parents and guardians that are buried under the debris of their houses and the ruins of their schools that have made their classrooms deserted. Just as other kids around the world prepare for a fresh start of a hopeful world, so also are these kids awaiting fresh episodes of their hopelessness, even while they are clueless on what the world is doing.

Over two hundred million (200,000,000+) children and adolescents are reported to be out of school in conflict-affected areas as at 2023. This staggering figure includes children in refugee camps, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and war-torn neighborhoods where the sound of gunfire is more common than that of a school bell. For these children, the world is a place of uncertainty and fear, where education is a luxury they can hardly afford.

One cannot help but be perturbed on the role of world powers in instigating and sustaining these crises. The same nations that supposedly champion education and development on global platforms are often the architects of the chaos that hinders access to these very opportunities. Military interventions, economic sanctions, and geopolitical strategies have left these areas in a state of perpetual crisis. These actions have not only destroyed infrastructure but have also fostered environments where extremist ideologies can thrive, thereby, further threatening the safety and education of children. Moreover, the international community's response to these crises has been largely performative. While billions are spent on military operations, the funding for humanitarian aid, including education, is woefully inadequate. The promises made by world leaders in summits and conferences remain unfulfilled, as the cycle of violence continues to rob children of their right to learn and grow in a safe environment.

As Muslims, we are taught that seeking knowledge is an obligation for every individual, regardless of gender or status. This seeking of knowledge is so significant that it constituted the very first instruction in the revelation of the Glorious Quran as in Suratul ‘Alaq Q96:1-5. This is in harmony with Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which conceives access to quality education for all boys and girls across the globe. Yet, the current global order, driven by power dynamics and self-interest, has made this fundamental Islamic principle a distant hope for millions of Muslim children.

What, then, is the solution?

The answer lies in a collective effort to prioritize education over conflict, compassion over aggression, and justice over exploitation. Muslim-majority countries must unite to advocate for the rights of their children, both on the international stage and within their borders. Regional cooperation, investment in education, and the rebuilding of war-torn communities are essential steps toward ensuring that every child can return to school.

And yes, the global community must be held accountable for its actions. The world powers must shift their focus from destructive interventions to constructive engagements that prioritize peace, stability, and development. The United Nations must reconfigure its perspective and philosophy of unity in the world, and most especially, the Arab gulf must find a way to rally round its own self in line with the Islamic principle of an egalitarian ummah (i.e. a building of bricks). After this is achieved, then humanitarian aid, particularly in education, can be increased, and efforts can be made to rebuild schools, train teachers, and provide psychological support to children traumatized by war.

Last Thoughts

The plight of out-of-school children in the Muslim world and other parts of conflict-affected world at large, is a stark reminder of the consequences of global indifference and injustice. As the rest of the world returns to school this September, we must not forget the millions of children left behind, whose dreams of education have been shattered by the very forces that claim to champion their rights. It is time for a change, a change that ensures every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to learn and thrive in a world that values their future.