Port Sudan – Since the outbreak of war in Sudan on April 15, 2023, one of the most severely affected sectors, particularly in historically fragile states like North Darfur, is education.
Poverty, natural disasters, and the collapse of state institutions, which threaten the future of tens of thousands of children, along with armed violence, are the scenario described in two recent reports by the Darfur Victims Support Organization, which reveal a dire educational situation, particularly in the localities of Saraf Omra, with an estimated population of 301,000, and Kutum.
In these areas, children have had no access to education for over three years. According to UNICEF, due to school closures and escalating violence, 7.9 million children will be out of school in Sudan by the end of 2025. According to reports published by the local press, the suspension of education has turned into a structural crisis that threatens the social fabric due to insecurity, a deteriorating economic situation, and the collapse of basic services in an area that includes a mix of settled and pastoral communities.
The situation for teachers is no better than that of schools. In Saraf Omra, teachers have had their salaries almost entirely suspended for over two years, with the exception of limited partial payments, not exceeding 60%, for a period of just eight months, in amounts insufficient to cover even the basic cost of living.
The lack of salaries and incentives has led to a widespread exodus of school staff seeking safety or alternative sources of income, exacerbating the shortage of qualified teachers and jeopardizing any attempts to resume education, even with very precarious infrastructure.
Furthermore, heavy rains and floods in 2024 severely damaged school buildings, abd many are unusable. Without maintenance and support, schools have become dilapidated structures, unable to provide a safe learning environment.
The continued suspension of salaries, the displacement of large numbers of students, the lack of textbooks and teaching materials, and the absence of adequate infrastructure will prevent school buildings from reopening without adequate and imminent, organized and sustained humanitarian intervention and external support. According to the reports, the prolonged school closures are alarmingly increasing dropout rates and child labor. Many were forced to attend traditional Koranic schools as a last resort, while others were forced to work in the markets to support their families.
The Darfur Victims Support Organization concluded that education in North Darfur is no longer just a public service, but a matter of survival and social protection. The continuation of education, even in its most basic form, represents the last line of defense against ignorance, violence, and the loss of an entire generation.
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