Quarter of schools closed in Burkina Faso as fighting escalates after coup

Nearly 1 million children denied education, along with many more across eight countries in central and west Africa, new report warns

A quarter of schools are now closed in Burkina Faso after a sharp rise in fighting between militants and the government, according to a new report that warns of a looming education crisis in the region.

The number of schools closed in the country rose by almost a third over the past year to 6,149, affecting close to 1 million students.