YEMEN Press Agency

Ministry Undersecretary: The number of girls not enrolled in education has reached more than 1 million

SANAA, Sept. 9 (YPA) – Bushra al-Mahtouri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for the girl’s sector, stressed the protection of the girl’s right to education.

She pointed out that the Saudi-led aggression has caused extensive damage to the education sector in Yemen, especially the education of girls, where the number of girls who are not enrolled in basic and secondary education has reached more than one million.

“Protecting Yemeni girls from dropping out of schools is a sense of responsibility placed on us, and an awareness of the magnitude of the tragedy and the dangers that faced the enrollment of the girl in public and university education in light of the years of unjust aggression,” she said in a statement to Al-Thawra newspaper.

“We stress the urgent need to highlight the issue of girls’ education as a community issue of the highest priority, as it is the educator and teacher of all members of the community, both male and female, if their education and preparation are weak, we do not expect a strong society capable of advancing,” she added

“The aggression has focused on targeting girls and children in a systematic way, by targeting schools, universities and homes, ” she confirmed.

She indicated that “more than 3,500 schools have been completely or partially destroyed, and some have been turned into shelters for displaced persons. Through soft warfare with its diabolical methods, they destroy both males and females.”

“The targeting of economic facilities and sources of income for Yemeni families is also an important factor in the reluctance of many families to continue their daughters’ general and university education, because they cannot afford the burdens and costs of education, including transportation, fees, etc.” She said.

The number of girls not enrolled in education has reached more than 1 million. The transfer of the Central Bank and the subsequent interruption of salaries of state employees have had a significant impact on girls’ enrollment in education.

In addition, the deliberate aggression to increase the burden on the Yemeni family causes a lot of family to hire their daughters and children to do double acts to alleviate economic burdens, such as agriculture, grazing the cattle, going to fetch water or firewood.

“Hence, the fact that the responsibility lies with all, the Yemeni society, especially the international community in general, in all its compositions, sects and trends, sounded the alarm and sensed religious and national responsibility in protecting the right of girls to education, which has become a human life-saving right like eating and drinking. Without a girl’s education, we do not expect any future for this country and peace,” al-Mahtouri said.

E.M