A secondary school in Sudan’s South Darfur region has resumed classes after a three-year closure caused by the war, offering renewed educational opportunities to students whose schooling was interrupted by the conflict.
Songo Secondary School, located in Al-Radom locality near the border with the Central African Republic, reopened during the week of November 9 following efforts by local residents and community groups.
The school currently has 11 teachers and more than 115 students, according to its director, Mustafa al-Toum.
Despite the reopening, the school continues to face serious challenges, including damaged classrooms, deteriorating infrastructure and shortages of essential educational materials.
Al-Toum said the return to learning had been made possible through community initiatives, but warned that additional assistance was urgently needed to keep the school operational.
He appealed to humanitarian organisations and residents originally from Al-Radom to support repairs to damaged buildings and provide classroom equipment and educational supplies.
Students have welcomed the resumption of classes despite the difficult conditions.
Fatima Babiker, a student in her final year of secondary school, said pupils remained determined to complete their education and overcome the disruption caused by years of war.
The reopening comes amid a nationwide education crisis in which millions of Sudanese children have been deprived of regular schooling.
UNESCO estimated in 2026 that more than eight million children and young people remained out of school, with education particularly disrupted in conflict-affected areas such as Darfur.
The war has damaged educational facilities, displaced teachers and students, and placed severe financial pressure on families already struggling to meet their basic needs.
In South Darfur, communities have increasingly relied on local initiatives to restore schools and maintain essential services amid the wider humanitarian emergency.
The return of classes at Songo Secondary School represents an important step toward restoring education in Al-Radom, although its long-term future will depend on continued support, building repairs and the availability of teachers and educational supplies.
