Sudan Media Forum
October 15, 2025 PORT SUDAN ( Sudan Tribune) – Before the war, a mother from Khartoum led a stable life, working in a factory in Al-Bagir to support her family. But after fighting forced her to flee to the Northern State, she was left jobless and, crucially, unable to afford her son’s high school fees.
“My son had to drop out of school because I can’t cover the costs,” the woman told Sudan Tribune, requesting anonymity.
Her story is not unique; it mirrors the plight of millions of Sudanese families facing economic collapse and a chaotic education system since the conflict erupted in April 2023. With millions displaced and government institutions paralysed, access to basic education has transformed from a guaranteed right into a luxury few can afford.
In army-controlled states like Red Sea, River Nile, and Northern, schools—particularly private institutions—are imposing exorbitant fees. Costs have soared to 1.2 million Sudanese pounds (SDG) for primary school and 2 million SDG for secondary school, while kindergarten fees now exceed 500,000 SDG per child.
Ibrahim Abdel Razzaq, a father in River Nile state, now pays 1.6 million SDG annually for his two children, plus 50,000 SDG monthly for transport. “The cost of education has become unbearable since the war,” he told Sudan Tribune.
Public schools are no longer a safe haven. In Omdurman, a high school teacher revealed that government schools are charging up to 400,000 SDG in instalments, supplemented by a “weekly fee” of 2,000 SDG to cover running costs and pay volunteer teachers.
A system in collapse
Doria Ahmed Babiker, the former director of private education in Khartoum State, says this chaos is a direct result of the state abandoning its responsibilities. “What we are witnessing in the rising cost of education has no legal basis,” she told Sudan Tribune. “Society is being forced to pay a heavy price.”
Babiker notes that while Sudanese law and international charters guarantee free, compulsory education, the war has shattered that promise. Many schools have been destroyed; those still standing often lack teachers, desks, water, and electricity, compelling them to impose fees just to cover basic operational costs.
“This makes education available only to those who can afford it,” she adds, “which fuels a massive dropout rate. These children could easily become fuel for the ongoing war.”
Sami al-Baqir, spokesperson for the Sudanese Teachers’ Committee, agrees. “Education costs have skyrocketed because the state has abdicated its role,” he said, explaining that the government’s failure to pay salaries has forced parents to pay teachers directly just to keep classes running.
Corruption exploiting the crisis
This chaos has also opened the door to rampant corruption.
The Teachers’ Committee in Khartoum recently uncovered an education official who was extorting illegal fees from teachers in exchange for “unpaid leave” forms. According to the committee, the bribe started at 2,000 SDG per form before climbing to 10,000 SDG, with some teachers forced to pay a total of 40,000 SDG. The payments were allegedly made in cash or transferred directly to the official’s personal bank account, bypassing all official channels.
With costs soaring and corruption spreading, the future of an entire generation of Sudanese children hangs in the balance. Doria Babiker insists the first step must be to end the war and establish political stability, allowing institutions to function again. She also stressed the urgent need for efficient and transparent investment in the education sector.
“Education is, above all, a societal responsibility,” she warned. “It requires everyone to stand together to save our children’s future.”
This report from Sudan Tribune, published by the Sudan Media Forum, highlights the severe collapse of Sudan’s education sector since April 2023. Unprecedented school fees are forcing thousands of students to drop out, while administrative corruption thrives in the absence of state oversight. Experts warn that without an end to the war and a transparent rebuilding of the system, Sudan risks losing an entire generation.
