27/08/2026
Statement from the Tigray Education Bureau
Since 2020, the Ethiopian government, in its own words, set a massive goal of "erasing Tigray from the map, Tigrayans from the face of the earth, history and conscience of human kind." To achieve this, it targeted education and inflicted unprecedented, massive, and deep destruction and losses on human resources in education, educational infrastructure, curriculum, and educational governance.
As a continuation of this destruction and loss, these destructive acts have continued in an intensified manner in 2025/2026.
For instance:
1. In January 2026, an airstrike was carried out on Zalaqme Primary School in Kola Tembien woreda (established in 2001), completely destroying 4 classrooms and student drinking water facilities, preventing 432 enrolled students from returning to their education.
2. On August 10, 2026, a dronestrike in Raya Alamata woreda, Merewa General Secondary School (established in 2009), damaged 4 classrooms and educational equipment preventing more than 800 students from returing to education in the upcoming academic calendar.
3. On August 20, 2026, an airstrike was conducted on teachers' residential housing located in Hawelti sub-city, Mekelle. It caused severe and minor injuries to over 14 teachers and their families, and completely destroyed residential homes, built through loans from financial institutions under difficult conditions along with all household property.
4. On August 26, 2026, a drone strike in Seharti woreda, Gejet General Secondary School (established in 2006), which served 500 students, suffered the complete destruction of classrooms and 35 computers provided through the World Bank supported 3R program.
5. To prevent Tigray’s teachers from teaching, monthly salaries for teachers have been withheld since October 2025. Furthermore, over 15,000 Grade 12 students who were set to take paper-based exams were forced to take exams online. When met with opposition from the Tigray education bureau, a different exam was prepared and administered at a different time, inflicting comprehensive harm on Tigrayan students.
The primary reason for intensifying airstrikes targeting schools and teachers specifically this week is that the registration period for the upcoming 2026/2027 academic year has arrived. By preventing teachers and students in Tigray from going to school, it is being used as an ex*****on strategy to achieve the mission of destroying the future of Tigray.
In general, the Tigray Education Bureau, on behalf of the children of Tigray, calls upon international institutions and the international community to understand these horrific atrocities being committed against Tigray's education system, to put a stop to these evil acts, to condemn those responsible, and to hold them accountable.
Tigray Education Bureau
August 27, 2026
Mekelle
