Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Thursday that ongoing conflict in Northern Mozambique is jeopardising education, with military use of schools on the rise despite direct school attacks decreasing.

HRW highlighted the impact of the Mozambique conflict on the education system. The conflict in Northern Mozambique, primarily in the Cabo Delgado province, began in 2017 when armed insurgent groups began attacking towns and villages. This violence has led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and a humanitarian crisis. The UN reported that 220 schools were attacked from the beginning of the conflict until 2021.

While a new report cited by HRW revealed that attacks on schools have decreased, the military use of them is increasing. The report documents 12 cases of schools being used for military purposes by the Mozambique military during the 2022-2023 period. Notably, there were no such cases in the previous reporting period. Four of these schools have been occupied for over a year.

HRW called on the Mozambican government and military to “refrain from deploying on school premises and ensure that schools are a place to learn and teach, not a military camp.” The organization also raised the Safe Schools Declaration, which aims to prevent and address attacks on students, teachers, and educational institutions. This declaration is a political agreement Mozambique has already endorsed in 2015.