Hijacked Education
Diego Ibarra Sánchez
War does not end with the final sound of a bullet, an empty shell casing on the ground, or a flag being raised. The open wounds of war write the future of millions of children in blood, and its effects echo through time. Increasing attacks on schools, the militarization of childhood, the use of educational facilities by armed groups, and exile put an entire generation at risk. Currently, around 264 million children worldwide do not have the opportunity to start or complete school due to poverty, discrimination, armed conflict, emergencies, and the effects of climate change.
‘Hijacked Education’ is a photographic project where the author moves between the realms of photojournalism and art to create a record. Started in 2012, it documents attacks on education and their consequences in countries such as Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Nagorno-Karabakh, Iraq, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Colombia.
Portrait of Daria Kechenovska, 16 years old, inside her destroyed school. Lyceum #25 in Zhytomyr was completely ruined by a missile attack on the morning of March 4. She had studied here for the past 11 years. ‘I want to be a soldier to defend my country.’ September 29, 2022, Zhytomyr, Ukraine.
Detail of a school destroyed by ISIS in northern Syria, Al Hasakah. Schools have become a primary target for ISIS, erasing years of investment in education in an instant. Schools are used as bases by armed groups, are attacked, and children are recruited to fight. April 13, 2016, Al Hasakah, northern Syria.
Portrait of Yousef, 12 years old, inside his former Jummuria secondary school. The school was severely damaged by bombings during the war in Mosul. Yousef dreams of becoming a police officer and continuing his studies. Mosul, Iraq. March 6, 2022.