The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement Sunday that more than half of the children in Syria are still deprived of education, nearly ten years after the start of the war in this country.

The organization said in a joint statement issued by UNICEF's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ted Shaiban and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syrian Crisis Muhannad Hadi, "Children in Syria continue to pay the price for the crisis, which will leave a dark mark on the tenth anniversary of its start, which falls in March. March this year, more than half of the children are still deprived of education. "

The statement stated that "there are more than 2.4 million children in Syria who are not enrolled in school, of whom approximately 40 percent are girls, and this number is likely to have increased during 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."

"The education system in Syria suffers from great stress, lack of funding, disintegration and the inability to provide safe, fair and sustainable services to millions of children," he added.

According to the statement, "the pandemic has exacerbated the disruption of education in Syria, and one of every three schools inside Syria is no longer usable because it was destroyed or damaged, or because it is being used for military purposes."

"Children who are able to go to school often learn in overcrowded classrooms, and in buildings that do not contain sufficient water, sanitation facilities, electricity, heating or ventilation," he said.

The statement called on "those who are fighting to refrain from attacks on educational facilities and education sector personnel throughout Syria."

He said, "The United Nations confirms that there have been about 700 attacks on educational facilities and education staff in Syria since the verification of grave violations against children began," adding that "52 attacks were confirmed last year."

The statement indicated that "while the war continues, education remains a beacon of hope for millions of children. It is a right that should be preserved and persevered."

According to the statement, the organization "continues to provide support through a wide network of partners, but funds are running out, and the education sector suffers from a chronic lack of funding."

He believed, "Financing sustainable education will help in the long term to bridge the gap and integrate children into education, and provide them with the skills they need to rebuild their country when peace returns to Syria."

Since its outbreak in 2011, the conflict has resulted in more than 387,000 deaths, with over 6.7 million IDPs and 5.5 refugees.