Around half of Sudan’s school-age children — more than eight million — are now out of education, as the country’s civil war fuels one of the world’s worst learning crises.
Save the Children said pupils have lost around 500 days of schooling since fighting broke out in April 2023.
The charity’s chief executive, Inger Ashing, said the international community is failing Sudan’s children at a moment that demands urgent global action.
Thousands of schools have been forced to close or have been damaged by the fighting, while others are being used to shelter displaced families.
Residents say drone strikes have recently intensified around al-Obeid, spreading fear across central Sudan and underscoring the war’s growing reach.
Only three percent of schools are functioning in North Darfur, with West Kordofan and other parts of Darfur also badly affected.
Teachers have abandoned classrooms after months without pay, leaving the education system on the brink of collapse.
Ashing said education protects children from exploitation and recruitment, warning it is a lifeline that must not be cut.
