UN warns Sudan war is destroying children's education

More than 8 million school-age children in Sudan are out of school as the country's civil war continues, according to a warning delivered by the United Nations. The alert was issued at an informal UN Security Council session on safeguarding education in Sudan, as the conflict reached its 1,210th day. The UN said the war is damaging classrooms, disrupting teaching and leaving large numbers of children without access to learning.

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Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the conflict is depriving an "entire generation" of its future. She said nearly three-quarters of schools in Darfur have been damaged, destroyed or rendered unusable since fighting erupted in April 2023. Mohammed also said five children in every six are out of school in the region, and that many parents are keeping children at home because it is the only place they believe is safe.

The UN said it has documented more than 67 attacks on schools since 2024, along with more than 154 instances of schools being used for military purposes. Mohammed said those figures are likely lower than the true toll. She also said more than half of Sudan's teachers have gone unpaid, although many continue working despite the conditions.

The UN and its partners have brought more than a million Sudanese children back into some form of learning this year, but officials said that remains far short of what is needed. The warning adds to growing concern about the wider humanitarian cost of the war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. UNICEF has repeatedly warned about the impact of the fighting on children, while the UN says about 15 million people have been displaced and nearly 33 million need humanitarian assistance, more than half of them children.

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Education has become one of the clearest indicators of how deeply the conflict is affecting civilian life, especially in areas where schools have been damaged or repurposed. Sudan's war began in April 2023 and has already entered its fourth year, with the fighting spreading severe disruption across the country. Darfur has been among the hardest-hit regions, and the UN figures suggest the education system there has been particularly badly affected.

The loss of schooling also raises longer-term concerns about child protection, future employment and the country's ability to recover once the fighting ends. What remains unclear is how many schools can be repaired or reopened safely while the war continues, and whether the number of children receiving some form of learning can be expanded further. The UN warning suggests the scale of the crisis is still worsening, but the next steps will depend on security conditions, access for aid agencies and whether the parties to the conflict allow education facilities to function.

For now, officials say the immediate challenge is preventing further damage to an already strained system.

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