Child soldiers go to school
2003-11-03 14:18
Geneva - Hundreds of thousands of children are due to return to school in Liberia this week at the start of an international drive to restore the education system ravaged by nearly 14 years of civil war, the UN children's fund (Unicef) said on Monday.
"Children who grow up knowing nothing but war and are recycled across borders to fight, must be offered education and a future at home," Unicef Executive Director Carol Bellamy said.
"Education establishes a path beyond poverty. And a child looking to the future is likely to pick up a gun," she added.
Thousands of children were often press-ganged into Liberia's bloody civil war, wielding assault rifles on the streets instead of pens in the classroom.
About 15 000 children were drafted to fight in the pro-government militias and rebel groups, the UN has estimated.
Unicef admitted in a statement that its campaign was getting underway just as the country was embarking on its shaky peace process, with the transitional government only in place since mid-October.
"This is a brave campaign, launched at a fragile time in the peace process," said Bellamy.
Unicef hopes that up to 750 000 children will eventually return to school, and has even resorted to buying a fleet of canoes and wheelbarrows to ferry supplies to areas made inaccessible because of wrecked roads or the dangerous conditions.
"Let's not be misled, the task will be extremely complicated, and it's likely that many areas won't manage," Unicef spokesperson Damien Personnaz told journalists.
About 20 000 teachers need to be trained and 3 700 school buildings have to be restored, while children will also receive meals while they are at school, the UN said.