Africa-Press – Mozambique. Only eight districts, of the 17 that make up the terror-stricken Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, have operational schools, according to a new report by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
Since the first attack by Islamist extremists in April 2017, at least 46 schools were vandalised, while 173 were forced to close.
To date, eight teachers have been killed in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado.
According to ADRA, in July 2020, the province had 775 schools in operation – 737 primary schools and 38 secondary schools.
“Terrorist attacks have aggravated the already precarious situation in that part of the country since the existing schools were unable to satisfy the demand,” the report said.
The report says 96 942 students were affected by terrorist attacks, of which 50 922 were female students.
Only 42 962 of those affected were lucky to be accommodated in schools from neighbouring districts. Teachers were integrated into neighbouring provinces.
“In relation to teachers, the provincial directorate of education and human development has a record of 1 774 affected teachers, of which 727 are women. These are being integrated into several schools in safe districts,” the report states.
Schools in the province are expected to open for the first term on 22 January 2022 – but persistent terror attacks might derail this plan.
But SADC Mission In Mozambique (SMIM) forces, of late, have been gaining ground, a positive step towards creating peace zones, where normal life can resume.
“On 19 and 20 December, 14 terrorists were killed, while eight women, three children and two elderly men, believed to have been abducted by terrorists, were rescued,” the SADC said in a statement.
It said that, since the start of the operation, 23 terrorists had been killed.
Approaching 2022, SMIM said the goal was to “create conditions necessary for a return to normal life in the province of Cabo Delgado as it pursues the terrorists”.
Reports in Mozambique claim that the Mozambique national army, working with SMIM, raided the biggest terrorist bases in Macomia and confiscated arms at the weekend.
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