Millions of children in Sudan have lost nearly 500 days of learning since the outbreak of war in April 2023, in what has become one of the longest school closures worldwide.
The organization Save the Children reported in a Thursday statement that this period exceeds the worst school closures experienced globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a press release, the new analysis coincides with the eighth International Day of Education, a day dedicated to celebrating the role of education in promoting peace, development, and breaking the cycle of poverty.
The report notes that across Sudan, more than 8 million children—almost half of the 17 million school-age children—have spent approximately 484 days away from classrooms. This exceeds the lost school days in the Philippines (440 days), previously the last country to resume in-person learning after the pandemic. The report highlights that few modern conflicts have caused such prolonged school closures.
Unlike during the pandemic, remote learning is largely unavailable for most Sudanese children, as ongoing fighting has disrupted education, fragmented families, and destroyed communities. Sudan is now facing one of the world’s worst educational crises: many schools have been closed, damaged, or converted into shelters for displaced families, denying children safe learning spaces.
North Darfur, where the conflict is most intense, is the hardest-hit region, with only 3% of its 1,100 schools still open. It is followed by West Kordofan, South Darfur, and West Darfur, with 15%, 13%, and 27% of schools operating, respectively, according to Sudan Education Group data scheduled for release this week.
Additionally, many teachers have not received their salaries for months, severely affecting morale and forcing some to leave the profession. Save the Children warns that the education system risks total collapse unless immediate funding is provided to pay teachers, rehabilitate learning spaces, and supply essential resources.
During her visit to Sudan this month, which included Port Sudan, the Nile River, and Khartoum, Ingunn Aasheim, CEO of Save the Children International, stated: “Children who have fled unimaginable violence deserve more than safety—they deserve the opportunity to learn, hope, and rebuild their lives.”
She added, “Education is not a luxury; it is a lifeline that protects children from exploitation, early marriage, recruitment into armed groups, and provides stability.” Aasheim confirmed that the message she heard from children everywhere was their desire to return to classrooms.
She continued: “We urgently need funding to restore educational services and rehabilitate damaged schools. Failing to invest in education today condemns an entire generation to a future defined by conflict rather than opportunity.”
Save the Children runs comprehensive education programs in nine Sudanese states, supporting over 400 schools to ensure children’s learning and wellbeing continue despite the crisis.
