Education Crisis Worsens in Boko Haram’s Birthplace as U.S. Aid Withdrawal Forces School Closures

By Diafa Doubra,

In Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and a region still struggling with the scars of insurgency, a fresh crisis is unfolding in the education sector following the withdrawal of U.S. aid. A school that had long served as a haven for children orphaned, displaced, or traumatized by extremist violence has been forced to cut staff and turn away hundreds of pupils due to a sudden funding shortfall.

The school, which relied heavily on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to cover salaries and operational costs, laid off 20 teachers last week. Administrators say the loss of funding means that at least 700 children, many of whom have already endured years of instability, will no longer have access to formal education.

“This is heartbreaking,” said one teacher who lost her job. “Most of these children have nowhere else to go. School is not just about learning for them—it is a place of safety and hope.”

For years, international support from organizations like USAID helped cushion the impact of Boko Haram’s violence in Borno State, where more than 2 million people remain displaced. The insurgency, which began over a decade ago, deliberately targeted schools in its campaign, leaving education systems in ruins.

Parents of the affected children expressed fear that the collapse of the program could push vulnerable youths back onto the streets, where they risk exploitation or recruitment by armed groups. “Education was the only thing standing between my son and the streets,” said one mother. “Now I don’t know what will happen.”

Humanitarian workers have warned that the funding gap could deepen the cycle of poverty and insecurity in northeastern Nigeria. Analysts also stress that the loss of donor support highlights the government’s limited capacity to sustain social programs in crisis-hit regions.

While authorities in Borno State have pledged to step in, resources remain stretched thin, and many fear the intervention may not come quickly enough. For the children of Maiduguri, the fear is that their fragile path toward recovery and normalcy may once again be cut short.