Save the Children reports that nearly half of Sudan’s school-age children — over eight million — are no longer in education after roughly 500 days of disruption since April 2023. Many schools are closed, damaged or being used as shelters, and teacher absenteeism has risen amid months of unpaid salaries. Aid groups warn that cities such as al-Fashir and Kadugli face famine-like conditions while drone strikes near al-Obeid have caused civilian deaths. The charity says immediate funding is needed to prevent the collapse of Sudan’s education system.
Nearly Half of Sudan’s School-Age Children Out of Education — Over 8 Million Affected, Save the Children Warns
A Sudanese refugee from al-Fashir, plays with a handmade sock ball because they have no access to a real football at the Tine transit refugee camp in eastern Chad, November 23, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
Save the Children has warned that nearly half of Sudan's school-age children — more than eight million — have been pushed out of education by the civil war that began in April 2023. The charity's report says many schools have been closed, damaged or repurposed as shelters, and that children have lost roughly 500 days of schooling on average.
Key Findings
Widespread disruption: The report estimates over eight million children have missed about 500 days of education since the conflict began in April 2023.
School closures and damage: Many schools have been closed or damaged in fighting; some are being used as shelters for displaced families. In North Darfur, just 3% of schools remain open, with large parts of West Kordofan, South Darfur and West Darfur also severely affected.
Teachers and resources: Some teachers have abandoned their posts after months without pay. Save the Children warns that without immediate funding to pay and train teachers, restore learning spaces and provide supplies, the education system risks total collapse.
Humanitarian Hotspots
Residents report intensified drone strikes in and around al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, causing civilian casualties in recent incidents. The Darfur city of al-Fashir — seized by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October after an 18-month siege — and the besieged southern city of Kadugli are both reported to be facing famine-like conditions. More than 100,000 people are estimated to have fled al-Fashir since RSF control was established.
"Right now the international community is failing the children of Sudan," said Inger Ashing, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children International, in a video briefing from Stockholm.
Protection Concerns
The charity emphasizes that education is not only a right but a lifeline: schooling protects children from exploitation and recruitment into armed groups and provides stability amid displacement. Save the Children is calling for urgent international funding to keep schools open, pay and train teachers, repair learning spaces and deliver essential supplies.
Reporting: Olivia Le Poidevin. Editing by Gareth Jones.
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