Ethiopian Minister of Education, Berhanu Nega, said over 7.2 million children are out of school in Ethiopia due to conflict and insecurity, highlighting a severe crisis in the education sector.

Mr Nega said this while addressing an education-themed meeting, calling for urgent solutions to the threat.

“Conflict and insecurity situations poison the minds of children and youth, hindering their future development,” the minister was quoted as saying by the state-affiliated media outlet, Fana Broadcasting Corporation.

President of northern Ethiopia’s Amhara Region, Arega Kebede, said that the region was one of the areas with a significant number of out- of -school children.

According to the regional president, despite the regional government’s initial plan to enrol seven million students during the current academic year, the actual number of students enrolled was only 2.8 million.

Mr Kebede appealed for concerted efforts to reverse the damage done to the education facilities in the region.  

(Xinhua/NAN)