Main Barriers to Education
- Refugee Status
- Poverty
- Lack of Learning Materials
Interventions to Barriers
- Teacher Training
- Provision of Learning Materials
- Construction/Rehabilitation of Classrooms
In signalling its support for EFA, the Government of Sudan (GOS) has recognised education as a right for all of its citizens and guarantees access to free basic education. Furthermore, the GOS considers the realisation of EFA in the country as completely commensurate with the achievement of socio-economic stability. As part of its efforts to bolster the education sector, the government has introduced the Interim Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP). The ESSP highlights three strategic pillars: 1) improving access to schooling for all, including pre-school, basic and secondary education; 2) improving quality of schooling at all levels; and 3) strengthening the institutional capacity of the education system.
Despite the political will on the part of the government to increase quality and access, the education sector is challenged by serious shortcomings. For instance, as of 2013, under 60 per cent of Sudanese children who enrol at the primary level, ultimately complete the cycle. Moreover, public expenditure on education as a share of the country’s GDP has stagnated at just above two per cent since 2008.
To address these issues, EAC has partnered with UNICEF and UNHCR to increase education access to OOSC in Sudan through respective initiatives. Separately, UNICEF and UNHCR will focus on reaching children in the country’s most marginalised, refugee and internally displaced communities. Specific project interventions include: training for pre-/in-service teachers; sensitisation campaigns; provision of teaching and learning materials; implementing accelerated-learning classes for overage children; designing and administering a PTA loan and saving programme; and conducting a national study on refugee OOSC.
Geographic Location: North Africa
Languages: Arabic (official), English (official), Fur, Nubian, Ta Bedawie
SOURCE: BBC
Projects
Educate A Child Partnership
Educate A Child (EAC) has partnered with UNHCR to bring quality primary education to refugee children in 12 priority countries.
Enabling, Encouraging & Excelling
As the global refugee protection agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is responsible for ensuring that refugee children have access to quality education in their countries of asylum. There are over 2.7 million refugee children out of school in 12 targeted project countries.
Improving Access to Education for OOSC in Sudan
The EAC and UNICEF Improving Access to Education for OOSC project provides direct support to 600,000 OOSC.