Sudan: Children have lost about 500 days of learning due to war in one of the world’s longest school closures

Millions of children in Sudan have missed nearly 500 days of learning since the war started in April 2023 in what has become one of the world’s longest school closures, surpassing the worst shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, Save the Children said.

New analysis by Save the Children on the scale of the emergency crisis in Sudan comes ahead of the 8th International Day of Education, that was set up to mark the role education plays in peace, development and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Across Sudan more than 8 million children – nearly half of Sudan’s 17 million school-aged children - have spent about 484 days without entering a classroom [1]. This is 10% longer than the approximate 440 classroom days lost to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines [2] which was the last country to resume regular face-to-face schooling after COVID.[3] Few modern conflicts have closed schools this long. 

Unlike during the pandemic, remote learning is not an option for most children in Sudan where more than 1,000 days of fighting have disrupted education across the  country, shattered families, and destroyed communities.

Sudan is now facing one of the worst education crises in the world with many schools closed while others have been damaged in the conflict or are being used as shelters for displaced families, leaving children without safe places to learn and millions of children increasingly unlikely to ever complete their studies. 

North Darfur state, where conflict is ongoing, is the most affected region with only 3% of over 1,100 schools open. West Kordofan, South Darfur and West Darfur are next in terms of the least number of schools operating at 15%, 13% and 27% respectively, according to data from Sudan’s education cluster due to be released this week. [4] 

Additionally, many teachers have not received salaries for months, severely affecting morale and forcing some to abandon their jobs. Without immediate funding to pay and train teachers, restore learning spaces, and provide essential learning supplies, the education system risks total breakdown, Save the Children warned.

Education in crisis settings is lifesaving, it protects children from violence, sexual and gender-based abuse, exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups.  

Save the Children International CEO Inger Ashing travelled through Sudan this month, visiting schools and learning centres in Port Sudan, River Nile and Khartoum. She said:

“Children who have fled unimaginable violence in Sudan deserve more than just safety - they deserve the chance to learn, to hope, and to rebuild their lives. Education is not a luxury for children; it is a lifeline that protects children from exploitation, early marriage, and recruitment into armed groups. It provides safety, stability, and hope for the future.

“Everywhere I went during my visit, I heard the same message from children: they want to be in school – safe, supported, and learning.

“I met Amina*, a 9-year-old girl who was living in Khartoum when the conflict began and was forced to flee. She missed nearly a year of school. Today, like other children I spoke to, she walks several kilometres every day on her own to attend class, even though she said the journey can be lonely and at times frightening. Amina told me how happy she is to be back with her friends and learning from her teachers. Her favourite activity is writing in English.

“To reach every child, we must listen to them and find the ways - and the funding - to expand this support and close the learning gaps. Every child in Sudan has the right to an education and the chance to pursue their dreams - to become doctors, nurses, teachers, and engineers, as children told me this week. We must not fail them.

“We urgently need more funds to restore and expand safe and quality educational services, rehabilitate damaged schools, and provide teachers with fair working conditions. If we fail to invest in education today, we risk condemning an entire generation to a future defined by conflict rather than by opportunity.”

Save the Children runs inclusive education programmes in nine of the 18 states across Sudan, supporting over 400 schools to support children’s learning and well-being despite the crisis. 

Programmes include school meals, school gardens and providing essential items like school supplies, and uniforms. Schools are also being rehabilitated and equipped with safe water and sanitation facilities. Teachers receive monthly incentives and training, including technical and psychosocial support, to support children’s well-being and help them deal with the psychological impacts of conflict and displacement. 

Save the Children has been working in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across the country, providing health, nutrition, education, child protection, and food security and livelihoods support.  

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Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.