Brutal war in Sudan takes a heavy toll on the nation's education sector
In the ongoing conflict in Sudan, schools and educational infrastructure have become frequent targets, leading to a significant disruption in children's access to education. According to Save the Children's analysis in February 2024, there has been a 20% increase in violence against students, teachers, and schools across African Union member countries, with 411 cases reported.
The analysis, conducted in advance of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, did not provide specific incidents or data from the ongoing conflict in Sudan. However, it is known that since the conflict escalated in April 2023, there has been a dramatic increase in attacks on schools, resulting in over 10,000 closures and an additional 2,100 schools being used as shelters for internally displaced people (IDPs). This leaves more than 14 million children out of formal schooling.
The escalating violence has had profound negative impacts on children's educational development and well-being. Schools are being damaged or repurposed as shelters, depriving students of safe learning environments. High teacher turnover due to lack of pay, resources, and security concerns has led to disruption of teaching and examinations. Official exams for at least two cohorts of high school students have been cancelled, affecting their ability to obtain certification. Psychological trauma and loss of hope among children are also prevalent, as many express despair over lost opportunities and the conflict's disruption of their schooling.
The broader context of violence and attacks includes increased military clashes and drone strikes near civilian areas such as schools, contributing to insecurity and displacement. The conflict has precipitated a massive humanitarian crisis, with over 11.8 million people displaced and infrastructure devastation putting immense pressure on education systems.
These attacks on education violate international humanitarian law and threaten the survival, development, and dignity of a generation of Sudanese children. The urgent need is for cessation of hostilities, increased humanitarian funding, protection of schools as safe spaces, and resumption of formal education programs to mitigate long-term damage.
Save the Children, which selected education as the "AU theme for 2024," has called on leaders in Sudan and throughout the African Union to make schools safe spaces for children and to construct resilient education systems to expand access to inclusive, lifelong, high-quality, and relevant learning across Africa. The organization has conducted a study investigating specific cases of armed attacks that had an impact on the educational system in Sudan between April 2023 and April 2024.
The Education Cluster, a coalition of aid organizations that works in Sudan's education, has warned that the nation is on the verge of experiencing the worst education crisis in history. As the war continues, millions of children in Sudan face disruptions to their education due to schools being destroyed by bombs, used as shelters for displaced families, or children fleeing.
References:
[1] ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project) [2] Save the Children [3] UNICEF [4] UNESCO
Read also:
- Executive from significant German automobile corporation advocates for a truthful assessment of transition toward electric vehicles
- Crisis in a neighboring nation: immediate cheese withdrawal at Rewe & Co, resulting in two fatalities.
- United Kingdom Christians Voice Opposition to Assisted Dying Legislation
- Democrats are subtly dismantling the Affordable Care Act. Here's the breakdown
