Save the Children reported on Thursday that Sudan is currently enduring the longest period of school closures in the world, with nearly three years of brutal warfare depriving more than 8 million children of their right to education. According to the organization, these children—representing approximately half of the country’s school-aged population—have now missed 484 days of classroom instruction. This unprecedented hiatus significantly exceeds the duration of global school closures witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, positioning Sudan at the center of one of the world’s most severe and protracted educational crises.
The collapse of the educational sector is a direct consequence of the violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Beyond the staggering loss of life and mass displacement, the war has decimated essential infrastructure; many schools have been reduced to rubble, while others are being utilized as makeshift shelters for the displaced. The geographical disparity in educational access is stark, particularly in the Darfur region, much of which is under RSF control. In North Darfur, a mere 3% of over 1,100 schools remain functional. Similarly, in West Kordofan, only 15% of schools are operating, a crisis compounded by the non-payment of salaries which has forced countless teachers to abandon their posts in search of alternative livelihoods.
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In light of this grim reality, Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children, warned that a failure to prioritize education risks leaving an entire generation hostage to a future dictated by violence rather than opportunity. This sentiment was echoed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who this week condemned the escalating attacks on vital civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. Türk expressed profound concern over the increasing “militarization of society” and the recruitment of child soldiers, trends that threaten to permanently scar the nation’s social fabric and deprive its youth of any semblance of a stable future.