Ministry of Education: Fewer books distributed

The Sudanese Ministry of Education acknowledged a decrease in the distribution of textbooks and classroom seats.

Only half of the average number of textbooks and seats end up in schools, the ministry concluded in a report to the Sudanese parliament. Meanwhile Central Darfur state recorded an enrolment in pre-school education of 32 percent of the children of school age. This number is 50 percent in South and West Darfur.

Members of Parliament criticised the ministry for the deterioration and accused the government of causing a collapse in the quality of education in Sudan. The ministry has “a lack in academic honesty”: “Doctorate degrees are sold at El Sug El Arabi,” one of the MPs said.

In a press statement ahead of a visit by a delegation of ambassadors from the European Union (EU) and Norway to Darfur last February, Unicef pointed out that Sudan has the highest out-of-school rate in Northern Africa.

“Quality of education remains a major challenge; classrooms are overcrowded with high classroom-to-student ratios, insufficient classrooms, lack of furniture and learning materials and untrained teachers.”

In December last year, the federal Minister of General Education, Suad Abdelrazeg, acknowledged an increase in school drop-outs in some areas because of poverty and destitution in Omdurman.