On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Ali Al-Abab met with the Education Bloc in Marib Governorate (northeastern Yemen) to discuss the implementation plan for the Back-to-School campaign coinciding with the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. The meeting focused on the pressing need to create a conducive learning environment and bolster the capacity of educational institutions by addressing issues like student capacity, learning materials, curricula, teaching resources, teacher incentives, and student learning kits.

Dr. Al-Abab highlighted the challenges facing the education sector, particularly in Marib, which hosts over 62% of Yemen's displaced population. The limited capacity of the education system to accommodate the influx of students has resulted in a significant number of children being excluded from education. Furthermore, the deteriorating living conditions, economic decline, and reduced involvement of humanitarian organizations have led to an increase in student and teacher dropout rates.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that the responsibility of educating future generations and preparing them for their future, as well as building their nation, rests on the shoulders of all stakeholders, including government entities, community leaders, parents, and humanitarian and development organizations. He expressed gratitude for the Education Bloc's contributions over the past years, which have helped the education sector in Marib to persevere and overcome numerous challenges.

Dr. Al-Abab also lauded the support provided by the local authority leadership in Marib, which has been instrumental in empowering the education sector to remain operational amidst the dire circumstances of a protracted war and a surge in displacement exceeding its capacity.