ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 2 -- More than 3.5 million children do not have access to school due to the impacts of conflict and climate shocks across Ethiopia, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has said.

UNICEF, through Ethiopia Education Cluster Quarterly Newsletter issued late Wednesday, said various man-made and natural shocks are continuing to have an impact in Ethiopia.

"Based on the education cluster data from December 2022, more than 3.5 million children do not have access to school due to conflict and climate shocks across the country," it said.

In the Tigray region, the sub-regional cluster reports indicate that out of an estimated 2.3 million school-aged children, some 1.7 million children were denied the right to education for three academic years due to the conflict and COVID-19, with damage reported to have impacted 88 percent of school infrastructure.

"There is an urgent need of rehabilitation and equipment of schools with furniture for children to have access to safe and protective learning environments," it said.

  - Xinhua