Study: Over 80% of Sudanese Kids Unenrolled in Education
Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Sudan, it's estimated that over 80% of the country's children have missed out on attending school for more than a year, as per the humanitarian organization Save the Children. This is due to the escalating conflict between the army and the paramilitary, resulting in a fourfold rise in attacks on educational institutions since March 2023. This has ultimately led to the closure of most schools. The troubling numbers affect close to 18 million of Sudan's 22 million children.
In detail, a report by Save the Children reveals there were 88 acts of violence against educational institutions in the past 12 months compared to 23 such incidents during the same time frame earlier. This has involved gruesome acts like air strikes resulting in children and teachers being injured or killed, sexual abuse, torture, murder, abduction of teachers, and occupation of schools by armed groups.
Florian Westphal, the Managing Director of Save the Children Germany, states, "Sudan is on the verge of the world's most severe education crisis." Even before the current conflict, Sudan, home to over 44 million people, had been known for instability due to frequent unrest and power transitions.
Since April 2023, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, have been clashing with the Sudanese armed forces led by de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The two men, who had initially seized power together, are now rivals.
This dispute has already caused the world's biggest refugee crisis. The United Nations estimates that over eight million people have been displaced. Additionally, Sudan faces the potential of a global hunger crisis, as per the UN.
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- To address this education crisis, Save the Children has launched a campaign to save more Sudanese children from being unenrolled, aiming to decrease the percentage of unenrolled children in schools.
- Despite the challenges, many Sudanese children continue their education under difficult circumstances, demonstrating their resilience and determination to learn.
- The international community should intervene to ensure the safety of educational institutions in Sudan, allowing children to attend school without fear of violence or attack, and ultimately saving millions of children from missing out on their education.
Source: www.ntv.de
