Ecuador: Organised criminal groups target education every week

During the first half of 2026, NRC recorded 27 attacks on education across eight of Ecuador's 24 provinces where the organisation provides humanitarian aid. Most of the attacks - which involved threats, gunfire around schools, extortion, killings, and other acts of violence - directly targeted students, teachers, and other school staff. These attacks spread fear, force people from their homes, and put children's education on hold.   

“Imagine your class being interrupted by the murder of a fellow student, only for your teacher to ask you not to return to school until it is a safe space,” said Giovanni Rizzo, NRC’s Country Director in Ecuador. “Situations like this leave children without access to proper education and destroy futures.” 

The south-western provinces of Guayas and El Oro accounted for nearly 50 per cent of all attacks on education during the first half of the year.  

“The criminal gang severed a young person's head and left it outside the school - they do this to instil fear in all of us, teachers and students alike,” a female teacher from the south of the country told NRC.   

NRC has witnessed the forced displacement of families fleeing their homes after students received direct threats from organised crime groups. As a result of their displacement, these families required emergency humanitarian aid, including shelter, food, new schoolbags, books and uniforms to return to school. Teachers who faced extortion and threats also needed protection and humanitarian support to save their lives. 

“Ecuador has gone from being one of the safest countries in Latin America to one of the most violent in recent years,” said Rizzo, noting that despite the government's various security efforts, including measures to prevent forced recruitment in schools, organised criminal groups continue to disrupt education.  

“This is why the Ecuadorian state must act now; putting a law in place to assist and protect victims of violence is entirely achievable,” said Rizzo. 

“Government efforts to help those affected by attacks on education can be bolstered by the solidarity of the international community. To make this happen, the Government must explicitly request additional support from international partners to deliver aid to the children who need it most.”  

Notes to editors:

• According to data collected by NRC, 27 attacks on education were documented between January and June 2026 across the provinces of El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha, and Santa Elena, where NRC operates. These incidents directly affected 57 people (36 students, 10 teachers, 9 caregivers, and 2 administrative staff). Data shared by the Ministry of Education shows that 18,918 students attend the schools where these attacks occurred.
• In Ecuador, NRC collects data on schools caught in territorial disputes or damaged by explosive devices; vandalised or looted facilities; teachers facing threats or extortion; and students threatened, at risk of forced recruitment, recruited, kidnapped, or killed. NRC also gathers information on schools used by organised crime groups as distribution points for illicit substances.
• Given that the information was collected in the geographical areas where NRC provides humanitarian assistance, we highlight that Guayas accounted for 30 per cent of the attacks recorded during the semester, followed by El Oro with 17 per cent. The cantons of Guayaquil, Santa Rosa and Machala concentrated the highest number of attacks.
• During the first half of 2026, 16 attacks recorded by NRC took place inside schools, while 11 occurred along routes to and from school.
• The NRC report (available in Spanish) is not an exhaustive analysis of all attacks on education in Ecuador. The data and findings presented reflect only the situation in areas where NRC responds to the humanitarian situation.
• According to the Ministry of the Interior, between January and July 2026, the country recorded a total of 4,882 intentional homicides, marking a decrease from the 5,295 cases reported during the same period in 2025. Despite the government's efforts, the country remains one of the most violent in the region.
• According to the Education Under Attack 2026 report by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), Ecuador is one of 55 countries where isolated attacks on education have been identified, or which suffered attacks on education without being directly affected by armed conflict.
• The Safe Schools Declaration is an intergovernmental political commitment endorsed in 2015 to strengthen the protection of education from the impacts of armed conflict and other forms of violence. It recognises that schools must be safe spaces and that continued education is essential for the well-being and protection of children and adolescents. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: 

• NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329
• Ana Milena Ayala Sanchez, advocacy and communication officer:  ana.ayala@nrc.no; +57 3232746021