In Al-Hishan, a camp for displaced people in Port Sudan, tents have been converted into classrooms to accommodate children deprived of schooling. Among them is 14-year-old Ibrahim, displaced by the war, who shares his hope of returning to a normal life: "I hope everyone can go home." In a country where nearly half the population is under 18, the educational challenge is immense: more than eight million children are currently out of school, according to UNICEF.
On site, teachers are trying to maintain some semblance of educational continuity despite the precarious conditions. Soad Awadallah, a teacher, emphasizes the significance of this fragile reopening: "I am so happy that after all these years, I can teach the children." For the students, school represents both a place of learning and a space of regained stability.
But the reality remains alarming. According to Mira Nasser, UNICEF spokesperson in Sudan, “after more than three years of war, nearly eight million children have been out of school,” with schools either destroyed, requisitioned as shelters, or occupied by warring parties. In many areas, education has simply stopped altogether
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The testimonies gathered reflect the scale of the human disaster: Yaqueen hasn't studied for three years, 14-year-old Mihrab spends his days fetching water for his family, and Mustafa claims he hasn't "learned a single letter of the alphabet." While a few schools are gradually reopening, the education crisis continues to deprive an entire generation of basic knowledge, protection, and a future, raising the risk of a country permanently lacking the skills necessary for its reconstruction.
