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EDUCATION UNDER ATTACK 2014(a)(b)This principle extends to schools and universitiesthat are temporarily closed outsidenormal class hours, during weekends andholidays, and during vacation periods.Parties to armed conflict should neither useforce nor offer incentives to education administratorsto evacuate schools and universities inorder that they can be made available for use insupport of the military effort.Guideline 2: Abandoned schools and universitiesshould not be used by the fighting forces of parties toarmed conflict for any purpose in support of themilitary effort except when, and only for as long as, nochoice is possible between such use of the school oruniversity and another feasible method for obtaining asimilar military advantage. Appropriate alternativepremises should be presumed to be a better option,even if they are not as convenient or as well positionedfor the desired military purpose, although all feasibleprecautions should be taken to protect all civilianobjects from attack. The fighting forces of parties toarmed conflict should be mindful that they may nothave full knowledge of the potential negative consequencesof their use of a school, including its effect ona civilian population’s willingness to return to an area.(a)(b)(c)Any such use should be for the minimum timenecessary.Abandoned schools and universities that areused by the fighting forces of parties to armedconflict in support of the military effort shouldalways remain available to allow educationalauthorities to re-open them as soon as practicable,provided this would not risk endangeringthe security of students and staff.Any evidence or indication of militarization orfortification should be completely removedfollowing the withdrawal of fighting forces, andany damage caused to the infrastructure of theinstitution should be promptly and fullyrepaired. All munitions and unexplodedordnance or remnants of war must be clearedfrom the site.Guideline 3: Schools and universities – be they insession, closed for the day or for holidays, evacuated,or abandoned – are ordinarily civilian objects. Theymust never be destroyed as a measure intended todeprive the opposing parties to the armed conflict ofthe ability to use them in the future.Guideline 4: Use of a school or university by thefighting forces of parties to armed conflict in supportof the military effort may have the effect of turning itinto a military objective subject to attack. Parties toarmed conflict should consider all feasible alternativemeasures before attacking a school or university thathas become a military objective, including warning theenemy in advance that an attack will be forthcomingunless it does not cease its use.(a)(b)Prior to any attack on a school that has becomea military objective, the parties to armedconflict should take into consideration the dutyof special care for children, and the potentiallong-term negative effect on a community’saccess to education posed by the damage ordestruction of the school.The use of a school or university by the fightingforces of one party to a conflict in support of themilitary effort should not serve as justificationfor an opposing party that captures it tocontinue to use it in support of the militaryeffort. As soon as feasible, any evidence orindication of militarization or fortificationshould be removed and the facility returned tocivilian authorities for the purpose of its educationalfunction.Guideline 5: The fighting forces of parties to armedconflict should generally not be employed on securitytasks related to schools and universities except whenthe risk to those institutions is assessed as high; ifalternative means of reducing the likelihood of attackare not feasible; if evacuation from the high risk area isnot feasible; and if there are no alternative appropriatelytrained civilian personnel available to providesecurity.(a)If such fighting forces are engaged in securitytasks related to schools and universities, theirpresence within the grounds or buildings of theschool should be avoided if at all possible, toavoid compromising its civilian status anddisrupting the learning environment.109