On 27 March 2025, as Sudan’s conflict enters its second year, education experts and humanitarian leaders gathered for a panel discussion at the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks (HNPW) to address the severe challenges facing the country’s millions of children.
Sudan is experiencing one of the world’s most critical education emergencies:
- 3.1 million school-aged children are displaced internally, with another 1.2 million seeking refuge across borders.
- 54% of schools are located in conflict zones, affecting all 12.5 million students.
- 9 million children are unable to return to school, adding to the pre-existing 6.9 million out-of-school children.
- Many schools are being used as shelters, preventing education from resuming.
- Unpaid teachers and high turnover rates are worsening the situation.
- Over a million students have missed critical exams, disrupting their academic progress.
Speakers emphasized that Sudan’s education crisis is not just a byproduct of conflict but a complex humanitarian disaster requiring an urgent response. They highlighted the urgent need for immediate intervention and long-term strategies to prevent a lost generation.
The discussion put a specific focus on how immediate and longer-term education needs can be addressed through improved coordination between humanitarian and development agencies, fit-for-purpose guidance to education practitioners on the ground, and global advocacy. Collaboration of this kind remains constrained for the education sector, but they presented practical opportunities to bolster these efforts. These include:
- strengthening non-formal education opportunities, remote learning, safe learning spaces.
- building capacities of teachers.
- engagement with the government, local education groups and communities to re-open schools.
- bolstering intersectoral collaboration to ensure the continuity of lifesaving services.
Abdullah Modhesh and Boniface Karanja joined to give their perspective from the Sudan Education Cluster, while Dr. Aiman Badri offered the view from UNESCO’s Khartoum office. Joa Keis, Education Specialist, Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Eddie Dutton, Senior Emergency Manager, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) spoke to the roles of their respective global funds. Elisa Radisone, Country Support and Knowledge Management Lead, Global Education Cluster, provided further insights into what “practical steps” can be taken to improve collaboration.
Education is a Lifeline in Crisis
Using the Sudan case to draw lessons for cooperation across the nexus more broadly, panellists stressed that education must be recognized as both life-saving and life-sustaining. Dutton noted that education is often overlooked in funding decisions, despite its critical role in stability and recovery.
Karanja highlighted the challenge of displacement and school closures, stressing the need for emergency learning solutions. Modhesh discussed the importance of providing educational materials and engaging local authorities to reopen schools. Badri emphasized the role of international and local organizations in supporting education access.
The discussion ended with a clear message: education must not be sidelined in Sudan’s crisis response. Panellists urged the international community, policymakers, and donors to take immediate action to protect the future of Sudanese children.
With millions of students at risk of long-term educational loss, urgent and sustained intervention is needed. The global community must act now to ensure education remains a priority in humanitarian aid and recovery efforts.
