Case study: Current education situation in Sudan

War erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023. Two years later, Sudan is facing one of the fastest unfolding crises globally, with approximately 30 million people (60% of the population) in need of humanitarian assistance.

The education landscape has changed substantially since the outbreak of the war, with widespread school closures. Estimations from 2024 indicated a total of 17 million out of 19 million school aged children remain out of school since September 2024 (Education Cluster, 2024). Teachers in 10 states have received partial payment since the onset of the war, while teachers in 8 states have received no payment since April 2023, with significant implications for the sector’s capacity to retain staff (UNICEF, 2024).

In order to inform an effective international response, the Helpdesk has been requested to produce a case study on the current situation for education in Sudan. The objective of this report is to provide a better understanding of the history of the sector pre-conflict, damages that have been caused by conflict, inequitable trends of service provision in the current context and how best to support interventions that protect children and enhance learning opportunities in a scenario of a protracted conflict.