Education in War Affected Areas (Internally Displaced Persons communities) in Eastern Sudan

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated the status of education in war torn communities of Eastern Sudan. A questionnaire was sent out to all the principals of the schools in four communities in war torn area of Eastern Sudan. There were also two visits to each of the schools. The study focused on these questions- (a) What are the levels, quality and the type of education provided to 5-16 year olds in the war affected towns/ areas of Eastern Sudan? (b) What are the gender make-up of teachers and principals and the educational qualification of teachers? (c) What are the numbers of subjects taught by grade level and the availability of textbooks for the subjects taught? (d) Are the textbooks written at the level of the students? (e) What are most threatening things to the education of the learner? (f) What are the numbers of school days for the school year and how much work are teachers able to cover during a school year with little or no conflicts compared with a school year with conflicts and natural disasters? Data was collected mainly by interviews of principals in the schools of the study area. An analysis of data from seven principals for all the schools in the area showed four of the schools were built by NGO’s, while three were built by the Government; that more than 57 percent of teachers had a bachelor’s degree with a teaching certificate, that the average teaching experience for male teachers was 15 plus years and for female teachers, it was a little more than 6 years. In the areas of English Language, Mathematics and Science, it was found that textbooks were not available for about 50 percent of the students and that these textbooks were not at the level of the student. There were several threats to the continued education of the learner, the three most important being lack of feeding during the school day for students, lack of family support and early marriages for the girls. Recommendations in the study included campaigns to encourage students to stay in school, and the possibility of some law that will discourage parents from allowing early marriages (for ages less than 16) for the girls.