The new school year has started in Mali, but many children won’t be in class.

More than two million of the country’s youngsters are out of school, according to UNICEF, a result of years of violence which has destroyed more than 1,500 schools and driven people from their homes.

Household poverty, child labour, and child marriage, it says, are all factors driving Mali’s high drop out and out-of-school rate.

More than half of all Malians, aged 15-24, are illiterate.

Aljazeera.