AMMAN, March 10 (Xinhua) -- UNICEF has started to pay more than 136,000 teachers and other school staff in Yemen who have not received their salary in over two years.

"The first payment cycle has reached more than 97,000 of the intended teaching professionals," said a statement by the UN agency obtained by Xinhua.

More than 2 million children are out of school in Yemen where school infrastructure is badly damaged and learning materials are in short supply, said Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in the statement.

"One in five schools in Yemen can no longer be used because they are damaged or being used in the fighting or to shelter displaced families," he explained.

UNICEF will offer an equivalent of 50 U.S. dollars as monthly salary to eligible teachers and shool staff, Cappelaere said.

The scheme covers staff in 10,300 schools and will benefit an estimated 3.7 million children, the UNICEF official added.