Schools Should Never Be Battlefields

As someone deeply interested in human rights and education, I believe one truth should be universal: schools must remain safe spaces, even during war.

Yet in many conflict zones from Gaza to Ukraine to Afghanistan classrooms are increasingly becoming targets. Schools are bombed, occupied by armed forces, or turned into military bases. When this happens, students do not only lose buildings; they lose access to learning, safety, and future opportunities.

In response, more than 120 countries have endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, a global commitment launched in 2015. It encourages governments to protect schools from military use, investigate attacks on education, support victims, and ensure learning continues during conflict. The declaration strengthens existing international humanitarian law by reinforcing the idea that education is a civilian right.

There has already been progress. Several countries have updated military guidelines to avoid using schools for combat purposes, and some governments have prosecuted attacks on educational facilities. However, the United States has not yet signed the declaration, even though its own military doctrine recognizes schools as protected civilian sites.

Protecting education during war is about more than buildings it protects childhood, dignity, and long-term stability. Schools should never become battlefields.

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