The war in Sudan deprives more than 8 million children of education, leading to the longest school closures in the world.
Save the Children has warned that the ongoing war in Sudan, which has persisted for nearly three years, has denied over 8 million children access to education, marking the longest school closure period globally.
The organization highlighted that nearly half of the school-age children, over 8 million, have spent 484 days out of classrooms, surpassing the closure duration experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands and the displacement of millions, in addition to the destruction of much of the health and educational infrastructure. The organization confirmed that Sudan is facing one of the worst education crises in the world, with many schools closed and others damaged or repurposed as shelters.
Darfur is the most affected region, where currently only 3% of schools in North Darfur operate after the Rapid Support Forces took control of the city of El Fasher last October, while the operational rate in West Kordofan is only 15%.
The cessation of salary payments has led many teachers to leave their jobs, exacerbating the education crisis.
In this context, the head of the organization, Ingrid Allerg, warned that failure to invest in education could condemn an entire generation to a future driven by conflict instead of opportunities.
Similarly, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed concern over the repeated attacks on essential civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, markets, and schools, warning against the “militarization of society” and the recruitment of children.
