Taiz school dispute: Alef Observatory calls for end to escalation

The Alef Observatory for the Protection of Education and Child Rights has called for an end to escalating tensions surrounding the 22 May School in the Asayfira area of Taiz. The observatory warned against turning the educational facility into a site of conflict and urged all parties to adhere to legal frameworks and dialogue.

Reports indicate security forces have deployed near the school, leading to the dispersal of students and local residents protesting a decision to convert the building into the Taiz Technical Community College. There have been unverified reports of gunfire in the vicinity of the protest.

The observatory emphasized that children's rights to education must remain above administrative or political disputes. While acknowledging that the development of the Taiz Technical Community College is a significant developmental need, the group stressed that any change to the school's function must be based on clear legal documentation regarding ownership and funding to ensure children are not deprived of safe learning environments.