Protecting the Right to Learn
Imagine a classroom where students gather around a table with their teacher, examining maps and sharing ideas. The lesson depends on more than books and pencils. Students also need to feel safe enough to attend school and concentrate on their work.
In places affected by armed conflict, that safety cannot always be taken for granted. Schools may be damaged, students and teachers may be threatened, and families may have to leave their homes. On September 9, the United Nations observes the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. The day draws attention to the importance of keeping students, educators, and places of learning safe during conflict.
More than a building
A school is a place to learn reading, math, science, and other subjects. It can also give children a sense of routine. Seeing classmates, working with teachers, and following a familiar schedule can provide stability when life outside school is uncertain.
An attack on education can take several forms. A school building might be damaged during fighting. Students or teachers might face threats because they attend or work at a school. Sometimes a school is used for military purposes, disrupting classes and potentially putting the building at greater risk. These events can prevent learning even when no classroom is directly damaged.
- stability:
- A condition of being steady and dependable, even when other things are changing.
- disrupting:
- Interrupting something so it cannot continue normally.
- civilian:
- Relating to people or places that are not part of the armed forces.
- applicable:
- Relevant to a particular situation and able to be used in it.
- commitment:
- A promise or pledge to take action.
- endorse:
- To express support for an idea or agreement.
- document:
- To record information about something in a reliable way.
- displaced:
- Forced to leave home, often because of danger or conflict.
One passage, many ways to practice
Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.
Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Purpose
Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.
Structure
Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.
Vocabulary
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Writing Prompts
Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How does the opening classroom scene help introduce the article’s central idea?
- 2Why can an attack on education disrupt learning even if no classroom is damaged?
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About this explanatory article passage for Middle School
“Protecting the Right to Learn” is a explanatory article reading passage about Protection of education, written for Middle School. It takes about 6 minutes to read (874 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.