Kinshasa, DRC — Hundreds of thousands of children in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are facing major disruptions to their education as the country battles its largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has warned.

The humanitarian organisation said fear of Ebola, inadequate infection prevention and control measures, poor hygiene facilities and limited psychosocial support were affecting school operations and attendance in areas affected by the outbreak.

Across Ebola-affected areas, about 5,700 schools attended by nearly 1.8 million children remain beyond the reach of infection prevention and control measures, according to the DRC Education Cluster. Nearly 90 per cent of pupils in affected areas have not received support related to hygiene and sanitation.

More than 98 per cent of the children who remain unreached are in Ituri, North Kivu and Haut-Uélé, where ongoing Ebola transmission remains a major concern for international health organisations. The NRC called for urgent investment in schools to ensure children can continue learning in safe environments, particularly in provinces where Ebola transmission remains ongoing.

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The NRC's country director in DRC, Eric Batonon, said children should not be forced to sacrifice their education because schools are perceived as unsafe. He said parents should not have to choose between protecting their children from Ebola and ensuring they receive an education.

Batonon also stressed the need for greater investment in sanitation, hygiene and infection prevention measures, including facilities that allow children to wash their hands and maintain appropriate personal space in classrooms. He noted that the crisis was compounding years of educational disruption caused by conflict and displacement in eastern DRC, where many children had already lost significant time in school.

Since the beginning of the new school year, several schools in Bunia, the epicentre of the outbreak, have reported unusually low attendance. Parents have cited fears of Ebola transmission and inadequate infection prevention measures as reasons for keeping their children at home. The outbreak is also affecting children psychologically.

Teachers in Ituri have told the Norwegian Refugee Council that some children become frightened and run away when they see humanitarian vehicles or personnel because they associate them with the Ebola response.

The Norwegian Refugee Council is responding by providing psychosocial support through its Better Learning Programme (BLP), which helps children manage stress and anxiety and develop a greater sense of safety.

Silvia Beccacece, the NRC's emergency team leader, said from Bunia that fear and misinformation were increasing the risks associated with the outbreak. She said the NRC was working with communities to provide clear and accessible information about Ebola, including how the virus spreads, how people can protect themselves and the role of humanitarian organisations in the response.

Beccacece said health measures needed to be accompanied by psychosocial support to enable children to return to school and continue learning despite the crisis. She added that sustained access to education was particularly important for children who had already experienced years of disruption, as schooling could provide stability and help them maintain a sense of hope for the future.

The NRC is scaling up its response in eastern DRC, including support to affected communities and schools through psychosocial interventions under the Better Learning Programme.

The organisation said such interventions are intended to help children manage the stress and anxiety associated with the Ebola outbreak while creating safer environments in which they can continue their education.

The current outbreak has recorded 8,442 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,080 confirmed deaths, making it the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in DRC's history. With transmission continuing in Ituri, North Kivu and Haut-Uélé, humanitarian and health organisations have warned that protecting children's access to education will require both stronger infection prevention measures and sustained psychosocial support.

The World Health Organisation estimates that children under five have the highest case fatality ratio, at more than 60 per cent, compared with about 40 per cent among adults.