Sudan

Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2024 / Part 3: Cluster/sector needs and response

3.1 Education

PEOPLE IN NEED
9.1M
PEOPLE TARGETED
4.2M
REQUIREMENTS (US$)
131M
PARTNERS
25

SUMMARY OF NEEDS

The hostilities have caused severe disruptions to education, with unprecedented damage to infrastructure, loss of resources, and a crisis-point in the educational system. Vulnerable children are exposed to severe distress and protection risks while lack access to basic education, particularly in conflict zones, hard-to-reach areas, and among displaced and vulnerable communities. Gender-based barriers further limit girls' access to education, compounded by a lack of trained female teachers and gender-segregated latrines, among other concerns.

The crisis caused significant psychological distress among children, potentially impacting their long-term mental health and education progress if not urgently addressed. Prior to April 2023, only 12.5 million children (out of 19.3 million school-aged children) attended school. After April, education was suspended for 6.5 million children (51 per cent girls) and have no access to education services, with 10,400 schools (54 per cent of the total 19,302 schools) forcefully closed. Attacks on schools and their use as emergency shelters further compromise the safety of education spaces and put enormous pressure on the already fragile education system for the host communities.

An estimated two million school-aged children are internally displaced, while half a million school-aged children have crossed international borders. Over 5.5 million children residing in less impacted areas are awaiting the official re-opening of schools. Displacement has overwhelmed host communities, straining their fragile education systems and limited services. Access barriers remain significant, with an additional 6.9 million children out-of-school including children with disabilities, many living in vulnerable communities. Inadequate access to clean water and sanitation in schools remains a significant barrier to accessing education with many schools lacking functional facilities, running water, and soap supplies. Nearly 55 per cent of schools lack access to safe water and 49 per cent lack access to improved sanitation, with only 10 per cent with access to hand-washing facilities.

RESPONSE STRATEGY

The Education Cluster response will focus on three areas:

  1. Increasing access to education in safe and protective learning environment for crisis-affected vulnerable children (aged 6-18).
  2. Improving equitable quality education within a protective environment for crisis-affected vulnerable children (aged 6-18).
  3. Strengthening the capacity of the education system, partners, and communities to deliver a timely and coordinated education response.

The cluster aims to support 4.2 million school-aged children, including those with disabilities, through formal and non-formal educational pathways. The response focuses on improving access to and quality of education in safe environments. It targets children at risk of dropping out due to the crisis and ensuring retention for displaced and non-displaced children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and in hard-to-reach areas. This involves providing psychosocial support including Social Emotional Learning (SEL), teaching materials, teacher training, safe learning spaces, sanitation facilities, menstrual hygiene education, safe drinking water, school meals, and emergency preparedness. The response operates in two phases: supporting host communities and displaced children in safer states and safe pockets within conflict affected states and children in conflict areas once safety and access permit. Cross-cluster collaboration and "do no harm" principles are central to the approach.

TARGETING & PRIORITIZATION

The Education Cluster aims to assist 4.2 million vulnerable school-aged children affected by crisis-related violations and protection risks. The targeting approach considers the severity of the situation, accessibility, protection incidents, and partner presence. It aims for 100 per cent coverage in accessible areas, 60 per cent in partially accessible areas, and 30 per cent in hard-to-reach locations.

PROMOTING QUALITY & INCLUSIVE PROGRAMMING

The cluster emphasizes the active involvement of children, teachers, and parents in service delivery through various networks and community feedback mechanisms to make the response responsive and effective. Training focuses on accountability and standards, aligning services with the response strategy. Information dissemination encourages reporting abuse, particularly through social media. Priorities include inclusivity, addressing gender and age-specific needs, accessibility for children with disabilities, and equitable resource allocation. The cluster considers the diverse needs of IDPs, host communities, and teachers, especially on the involvement of women in parent-teacher associations and as facilitators.

COST OF RESPONSE

The Education Cluster response requires $131 million to support vulnerable children’s access to education. Additional resources will be sought to reach more vulnerable children currently in hard-to-reach areas, should security and access allow. Education services are directly affected by the skyrocketed costs of essential items due to supply chain disruptions, factory closures, looting of goods, and lack of cashflow, resulting in decreased purchasing power of the affected families.

References

  1. Education Sector need assessment for IDPs children in White Nile State, June 2023; PACT July 2023 PACT and Partners in Development Service (PDS) Sudan Situational Assessment July 2023; Rapid Needs Assessment in Al Gezira State by Voluntas June 2023; Inter-Agency/Cluster Rapid Needs Assessment Report White Nile State July.
  2. Sudan Education Sector keeping Children Safe & Learning : Education in Crisis 2023
  3. Ten per cent of schools are being used as emergency shelters by IDPs.
  4. Fifty-one per cent girls and 15 per cent children with disabilities.
  5. UNICEF-Save the Children press-releases/19-million-children-sudan-out-school-conflict-rages October 2023
  6. Inter-Agency Assessment Report-Al-Gezira State May 2023
  7. UNICEF national WASH in School Assessment, 2019
  8. Mercy Corps Sudan Rapid Market Access Survey May 2023.