Military training in and around educational institutions puts at risk not only the infrastructure of schools and universities but also the safety of students, teachers and staff, both in and while traveling to and from school.  They could also raise fears and increase a general climate of insecurity and instability that may prevent students from going to school, parents from sending their children from school, and teachers from going to work - thus having an impact  on absenteeism or drop-out rates. 

The government should be able to requisition public facilities (libraries, sports facilities, community centers) to ensure the continuity of learning activities for students that are not able to continue their studies because of  attacks on education. Classes should be relocated to other public spaces that ensure the safety of students, teachers and personnel and guarantee the continuity of education. 

Schools and universities (even those that have been abandoned or evacuated because of the dangers presented by armed conflict) should not be requested by armed forces, including during armed conflict, at the risk of hindering access and availability of education by causing the discontinuity of learning activities. Also, the military use of educational facilities increases the likelihood of attack and may change the school/university from a civilian object to (legitimate) military target. 

Armed forces may be designated to provide security to schools and universities in conflict affected areas to ensure access and availability of education. If this is the case, inform clearly what constitutes the mandate of the armed forces.

This indicator refers to the number of such incidents in the last 12 months, or during another designated time period. The indicator is common to two categories of attacks on education: attacks on schools and universities and/or other educational facilities and military use of schools and universities.

This indicator measures the total number of schools partially or totally occupied and used for military purposes by non-state armed forces.

This indicator measures the total number of schools partially or totally occupied and used for military purposes by a state’s regular or paramilitary armed forces.

This indicator measures the number of out-of-school students due to military use of schools and/or universities. The total number is calculated by adding up the number of out-of-school children for each reported incident of military use of schools and/or universities.

This indicator measures the total number of reported attacks on students, teachers and other educational personnel perpetrated by state armed forces in the last 12 months or during a designated period of time. It includes attacks committed at schools, universities or other educational facilities, or on the way to or from them. It is the sum of all reported incidents of attacks on students, teachers and other educational personnel perpetrated by a state’s armed forces (including government paramilitary forces).

This indicator measures the total reported number of schools partially or totally occupied by armed forces (governmental or non governmental) and used for military purposes, such as using educational facilities as bases or temporary shelters, fighting positions, weapons storage facilities, detention and interrogation centers and military training or drilling soldiers (GCPEA, 2020 Education under attack report).