The Resolve for Education Amid War: Sudan’s High School Certificate Examinations

Introduction

The organisation of Sudan’s High School Certificate Examinations this year has sparked widespread debate due to various factors, primarily the deteriorating security situation and the ongoing war since April 2023, which has engulfed large parts of the country. Consequently, exams were conducted only in areas controlled by the army, leaving regions under the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), such as Darfur, Gezira, and Khartoum, unable to participate. According to estimates by the Ministry of Education, this resulted in approximately 30% of registered students being unable to sit for the exams.

This situation has elicited diverse reactions. Critics argue that holding exams under such conditions is discriminatory and denies students equal opportunities. Concerns have been raised about the fairness and quality of the exams, including the potential for question leaks in unstable security environments. Critics also highlight the lack of adequate preparation conditions for students and the risks involved in reaching exam centres, fearing the examinations themselves could exacerbate the war’s impact.

As a result, some unions called for postponing the exams until more secure conditions prevailed. In contrast, others urged that the army and the RSF cease hostilities during the exam period to ensure students’ safety. The fairness of holding exams amid conflict and the implications for students’ futures and the country’s education system has been central to this debate.

To address these critical issues, this article examines the broader challenge of continuing education during conflict, drawing on Sudan’s previous wars and the current conflict. The goal is to shed light on a neglected analytical dimension in discussions about prolonged wars in Sudan: the lack of strategic thinking about education during emergencies, a domain often overlooked by policymakers.

At a secondary level, the article critiques populist slogans like “No education in times of distress”, which aim to garner public support without offering practical solutions or comprehensive visions for improving education. It also rejects the approaches adopted by international humanitarian organisations during past crises in Sudan, which deferred educational development to post-conflict periods.

The Role of Educational Thinking During Emergencies

One reason for Sudan’s neglect of strategic thinking in education is the perception that education thrives only in periods of stability and urbanisation, as articulated by the historian Ibn Khaldun. Stability and development, however, remain elusive for Sudanese policymakers and educators alike.

Despite early engagement with global educational thought in the 1930s and the pioneering establishment of the Bakht Al-Ruda Institute in 1934, Sudan has yet to develop an indigenous educational philosophy that addresses cultural diversity, developmental challenges, and national unity. These issues have plagued Sudan’s political elite since independence in 1956 and continue to hinder progress today.

Given this context, Sudanese academia must rise above the political polarisation and the trauma of the war, which began in Khartoum on April 15, 2023, and rapidly spread across the country. It must shift its focus toward addressing the foundational national challenges, aligning its efforts with the roles of intellectual leaders and policymakers in building a resilient education system.

This article underscores the urgency of rethinking education during conflict. It highlights the need for Sudanese academia to lead the charge in crafting solutions that uphold education as a right and a pathway to national recovery, even amidst war.

I do not doubt that how education issues have been handled during the current war reflects significant confusion and weak professional performance. While the initial shock of the rebellion may explain this confusion in the early months of the conflict, there is a legitimate fear that the lack of strategic thinking regarding educational policies and their management during emergencies will persist, as has been evident in recent years. Suspending education during this war is no less dangerous than freezing state functions and militarising public life, leaving people preoccupied only with news of battles and fighting within a narrow scope of essential services.

If this premise holds, disentangling the relationship between the right to education during war and armed conflict, on the one hand, and rationalising political discourse, on the other, must be approached through objective methodological thought. Otherwise, we risk descending into futile debates that only deepen divisions and perpetuate instability.

In this context, the Ministry of Education’s decision to proceed with Sudanese Secondary Certificate Examinations from Saturday, December 28, 2024, is commendable. Although delayed, this step is crucial to ensuring the continuation of education during wartime and safeguarding the hope of future generations for a better tomorrow. Without education to illuminate minds, refine morals, and rebuild nations, no future exists.

Delayed Examinations and Missed Opportunities

These examinations, scheduled to conclude on Thursday, January 9, 2025, were originally planned for June 10, 2023, but were postponed from May 27, 2023, due to delays in completing curricula in some states. As a result, the exams are now 18 months late, reflecting a failure to promptly decide on the continuation of education under exceptional circumstances.

This is not the first such instance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sudan’s educational process faltered, unable to adapt to technological alternatives or modern assessment methods adopted by regional and global educational systems. Similarly, education was disrupted during the December 2018 revolution and the political changes of 2019. Despite these recurring crises, those at the helm of educational decision-making have yet to conduct comprehensive evaluations to learn from past challenges and prepare for future emergencies.

This lack of preparedness also explains the delayed handling of the 2023 examinations, even before the war spread beyond Khartoum to other states. The hope now is that the 2024 cohort exams, planned for March 2025, will proceed more smoothly, with the Ministry addressing what can still be remedied.

Significance of Education Amid Conflict

The decision to hold these examinations symbolises the resilience of Sudanese society—both within the country and among those displaced abroad—against despair and surrender during wartime. Criticism of conducting exams in safe areas, claiming it signals political division or inequality, lacks substantive justification. Global education practices during armed conflicts and international legal frameworks, such as the Safe Schools Declaration of 2015, affirm the right to education even in times of war.

The criticisms also ignore the party providing safe conditions for the exams while failing to condemn those obstructing students’ rights through threats or violence. Suggesting that holding exams only in safe areas reinforces division overlooks the broader context, including the joint Darfuri forces’ alignment with the Sudanese army, which makes territorial division impractical.

A Broader Perspective on Sudan’s Educational Legacy

Sudan’s educational history offers lessons for addressing today’s challenges. The establishment of the Sudanese Examinations Board in 1962 underlined the national responsibility for education and the principles of fairness and academic integrity. Upholding these values is essential, especially during crises.

This war, however, highlights priorities that require urgent professional attention, not only to secure education during the conflict but also to leverage it for long-term peace and stability. Chief among these is reconsidering the centralisation of education, a long-debated issue in Sudan’s governance.

While decentralisation was explored during Jaafar Nimeiri’s regime (1969–1985), its implementation was inconsistent, balancing local involvement in education with centralised control to ensure national unity. Revisiting this debate with a focus on current realities could address many grievances fueling conflict.

Lessons from Past Conflicts

Past conflicts, such as in South Sudan and the Nuba Mountains, offer insights into the role of education during war. The failure to provide education during South Sudan’s civil war left its population severely disadvantaged, fueling long-term instability even after independence. Conversely, efforts in the Nuba Mountains to resume education, despite limited resources, reflect the critical importance of maintaining learning opportunities during crises.

The conflict’s dynamics differ in Darfur, but the lack of a unified vision among armed movements has exacerbated divisions. Education must, therefore, play a unifying role, addressing not only immediate needs but also the cultural and social divides that have historically undermined national cohesion.

Conclusion

Sudan’s armed conflicts collectively underscore the need for comprehensive governance, culture, and education reform. Education must be seen as a tool for social transformation and empowerment, with clear plans for both wartime and post-conflict contexts.

The current crisis demands strategic planning by educational professionals familiar with global practices for education in emergencies. These plans should address present needs, anticipate post-war recovery, and foster peace, coexistence, and reconstruction values.

Sudan’s educators and policymakers must act decisively, drawing on lessons from the past to ensure education serves as a pillar of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.