By Faisal Abu Bakr | 2026-05-01

Yemen is now reeling from widespread poverty, economic collapse, and an increasingly failed education system.

Over three million children abandoned school, some forced into the workforce for their families' survival.

The conflict, fueled by the Iran-backed Houthis, has directly contributed to this catastrophic educational failure.

The war has destroyed educational buildings, politicized the schools, and created dangerously unsafe learning environments for children.

On April 11, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), reported that 3.2 million children remain out of school, amidst persistent challenges facing the education sector.

Consequently, numerous parents now choose immediate child employment over the uncertain long-term benefits of proper schooling.

War drives children into the workforce

This stark reality is exemplified by 12-year-old Ali Mohammed, who must work selling Qat in a Sanaa marketplace.

"Education is no longer worthwhile, as deteriorating school quality and high graduate unemployment force families to prioritize immediate income," his father told Al-Fassel.

Deputy Minister of Education Ali al-Abab warned of Yemen’s critical educational loss crisis in its entire modern history.

Student dropouts, pervasive child labor, and armed conflict involvement are direct consequences of collapsing household incomes, he noted.

Furthermore, the systematic irregular payment of teacher salaries jeopardizes the schooling of four million more children.

"Pushing children into the labor market is a wartime necessity. Families are caught between poor learning standards, rising expenses, and the urgent requirement for medicine and daily food," deputy Minister of Justice Faisal al-Majeedi told Al-Fassel.

Over 2,700 schools have been destroyed, rendered unusable, or converted for military purposes by Houthi forces.

This military use has stripped the entire learning process of its essential safe environment for all students.

Schools used as military camps

The Houthis aggressively utilize certain schools for ideological indoctrination, transforming them into effective mobilization tools.

They have reportedly forced students to participate in military-style parades while chanting their sectarian slogans.

Human rights reports confirm that Houthis seize international food aid, using it as a potent tool for pressure and extortion.

"The Houthis have weaponized aid, transforming it from a saving lifeline into a coercive tool by conditioning distribution on families' compliance, such as enrolling children in military summer camps," al-Majeedi asserted.

The World Food Programme (WFP) terminated all staff contracts in northern Yemen, effective early in 2026.

This abrupt decision severs a critical humanitarian lifeline for millions of people who are now facing the grim threat of famine.