IOM and KSrelief Launch Rehabilitation Works for 12 Schools Across Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz

Aden, Yemen – 14 May 2026 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today marked the handover of construction sites for the rehabilitation and expansion of 12 schools across Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz governorates. The project is expected to directly benefit over 18,000 students and teachers by improving access to learning in crisis- and displacement-affected communities. 

The site handover ceremony was held at Qataban School in Mu’ala District, Aden, and attended by representatives of KSrelief, IOM, the Ministry of Education, local authorities, and education offices in Aden and Ta’iz.

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen has severely weakened public services and social safety nets since the onset of the conflict. Across the country, nearly 2,800 schools have been destroyed, partially damaged, or used for non-educational purposes, further limiting access to safe education facilities. As a result, more than 4.5 million children are out of school across Yemen, including approximately 760,000 children in Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz governorates alone.

This situation continues to place significant pressure on already overstretched education services in these governorates.

Under the project “Supporting the Continuity of Education Services and Recovery of the Education Sector from the Impacts of Crisis and Displacement in Aden, Lahj, and Ta’iz governorates,” funded by KSrelief and implemented by IOM in coordination with relevant authorities, 12 schools across Aden (4), Lahj (3), and Ta’iz (5) are being rehabilitated and expanded.

The intervention aims to support the continuity and improvement of education services in crisis- and displacement-affected communities, while helping schools accommodate growing numbers of students among displaced, returnee, and host communities. By expanding school capacity and improving infrastructure, the project seeks to create safer and more supportive learning environments for children affected by years of conflict and instability.

Planned works include the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, administrative offices, laboratories, and sanitation facilities, as well as improvements to water, sanitation, and hygiene services in targeted schools. Solar energy systems will also be installed in selected schools to support uninterrupted learning in areas affected by electricity shortages.

The project also provides essential school furniture and learning materials to improve classroom functionality. These improvements aim to support more children in returning to stable and functional learning environments.

“Education is one of the most critical pathways to recovery for children affected by conflict,” said Abdusattor Esoev, IOM Chief of Mission in Yemen. “By rehabilitating and expanding schools with KSrelief, we are helping restore not just classrooms, but the conditions that allow children to learn with continuity and dignity.”

Upon completion, the intervention is expected to directly benefit over 18,000 students and teachers through improved access to education and safer learning environments. The project builds on previous IOM interventions supported by KSrelief that improved access to classrooms and sanitation facilities for more than 17,500 school children across Yemen.

The intervention contributes to ongoing efforts by IOM and KSrelief, as part of their long-standing partnership, to restore access to essential services and strengthen resilience in conflict-affected communities across Yemen.

For more information, please contact: iomyemenmediacomm@iom.int