Half of Syria's children are not in school

The findings, from Save the Children, come with some sobering stories of tragic children who have lost limbs and lives thanks to the ongoing military conflict in the county. Between 2011 and the end of 2014, the UN Secretary General reported 8,428 attacks on schools in 25 countries, with 52% of these reported to have taken place in Syria. Schoolgirl refugee who fled Syria violence gives revealing account of life in camp she has called home for 2 years

Since the start of 2015, Save the Children research has documented at least 32 attacks in Syria, but lack of access to many areas means the total number is likely to be much higher. Education is now one of the deadliest pursuits for children and teachers inside Syria, as the country's schools are increasingly being damaged and destroyed in the conflict. Save the Children's educational facilities in northern Syria have been affected by air strikes, shelling and explosions at least once a month over the last year. Only last June, air strikes forced staff to be evacuated from one of the schools supported by the children's agency, while in August another school was severely damaged in an attack. Across Syria, at least 3,465 schools have been destroyed or damaged, and many have been occupied for military purposes.

A report into Syrian children's education released today by Save the Children finds that:

• Schools are being increasingly forced to close because of the conflict

• From an almost 100% enrollment rate, Syria has now descended to the second worst rate of school attendance in the world with 2.8 million children out of school

• Up to half of children surveyed by the agency in Syria reported they were 'rarely' or 'never' able to concentrate in class

• Syrian refugee children in neighbouring countries are facing disturbing rates of abuse, bullying, corporal punishment and marginalization