Sanaa Ministry reports over 4 trillion Rials in education sector losses due to Saudi-led coalition’s war, blockade
SANAA, July 28 (YPA) – The Ministry of Education and Scientific Research in Sanaa announced that total losses and damage to Yemen’s education sector across all levels, resulting from the Saudi-led coalition‘s aggression and the blockade between March 2015 and March 2026, have reached approximately 4.292 trillion Yemeni Rials—equivalent to more than $8 billion.
The ministry stated that the damage includes the total and partial destruction of hundreds of educational facilities by the coalition forces, targeting of infrastructure, and impacts on millions of students and thousands of sector workers. Estimated damages to educational facilities alone stand at approximately 2.05 trillion Rials.
According to official figures, 435 general education facilities, 48 technical and vocational training institutions, and 36 higher education facilities were completely destroyed, while thousands of educational institutions at various levels sustained partial damage.
The report noted that the crisis affected approximately 4.7 million general education students, 165,000 technical and vocational students, and 275,000 higher education students. Additionally, more than 217,000 workers across various educational sectors suffered directly from the ongoing conflict.
In general education, direct financial losses exceeded 3 trillion Rials. The suspension of salaries for roughly 196,000 teachers and administrative staff since 2016 exacerbated the situation, alongside the lack of maintenance for over 10,000 schools and severe disruptions in printing textbooks, resulting in an average annual deficit exceeding 56 million textbooks.
Damages to technical and vocational education were estimated at nearly 790 billion Rials, with dozens of training institutions subjected to bombardment. Meanwhile, the higher education sector recorded losses exceeding 1.018 trillion Rials, encompassing the destruction of university infrastructure and the suspension of several scholarship programs, grants, and educational projects.
The ministry emphasized that the repercussions extend beyond material damage to deep psychological and social impacts, a drop in investments and grants, and a decline in international student enrollment. The statement concluded by stressing that ending the aggression and lifting the blockade are essential steps toward rebuilding educational infrastructure and stabilizing the learning process.
YPA