Fear of attacks keeps 150,000 children away from schools in Burkina Faso (Punch)

More than 150,000 children are not going to school in Burkina Faso because of the threat of jihadist violence, the education minster has said, warning of a “deteriorating” situation in the West African nation.

More than 1,100 schools have been forced to close or temporarily shutdown due to assaults and threats by radical Islamists, Stanislas Ouaro said on Thursday.

“This year the situation is deteriorating,” he said.

“There are schools closed for a few weeks, a few months and others since the beginning of the (school) year.” Read more