Around half of all school-age children in Sudan, more than eight million children, are currently out of school due to the ongoing civil war. This crisis highlights the urgent need to address the Sudan war impact on children education. This is according to a recent report by Save the Children. As a result, this has become one of the worst education crises in the world.
The conflict, which began in April 2023, has severely disrupted Sudan’s education system. Save the Children reports that Sudanese children have already missed about 500 days of learning since the war started. For many children, effects of the war in Sudan have deeply affected their education and school has simply stopped being part of daily life.
Across the country, thousands of schools have been destroyed, damaged, or forced to close because of fighting. In many towns and villages, classrooms are now being used as shelters for displaced families who have nowhere else to go. These shelters save lives. However, what’s equally troubling is the Sudan war’s impact on children education, as they are left without safe spaces to learn and grow.
The humanitarian situation is equally devastating in Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur. The city was taken by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October after an 18-month siege. Since then, more than 100,000 people are estimated to have fled the city. Children who once attended school are now living in displacement camps or on the move. The impact of war in Sudan has affected children’s access to education altogether.
In Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, conditions have worsened even further. The city is now facing famine conditions, with severe shortages of food and basic services. Schools are closed, teachers are unpaid, and children are left hungry and forgotten. It is important not to overlook the Sudan war’s effect on children’s education in these circumstances, which has become unreachable.
In recent days, drone strikes have intensified in and around al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state. Civilians are displaced and living in fear. The ongoing impact of the war in Sudan on children education makes learning even more difficult for children to continue.
Call for Humanitarian Access
Trauma Rescue Aid (TRAID) we are calling on humanitarian actors, the Sudanese government, and RSF leadership to allow safe and unhindered delivery of food and humanitarian assistance to civilians in Al-Fashir, Kadugli, Al-Obeid and other affected areas. Civilians must not be punished by starvation or denial of schooling for children due to Sudan war impact on education because of political or military decisions.
Education is more than learning. It protects children from exploitation, child labor, early marriage, and recruitment into armed groups. When schools close, children become more vulnerable to violence and abuse; sadly, the Sudan war impact on children’s education can amplify these risks.
Without urgent action, an entire generation of Sudanese children risks growing up without education, safety, or hope for the future. The Sudan war’s impact on children education must be addressed so that hope is not lost.
Comments are closed