Darfur displaced unable to pay increased school fees

Displaced in Darfur complain about the rise of tuition fees, the costs of school books, and a shortage of teachers and furniture. “The annual fees for basic school students have been increased to SDG170 ($30). Besides, we have to pay monthly tuition fees SDG20 to 25 ($3.50 to 4.40),” a parent in Zamzam camp, El Fasher locality in North Darfur, told Radio Dabanga. “The annual secondary school fees are now set on SDG250 ($44). No displaced parent is able to pay these amounts. Prices of school uniforms, books, and stationary have risen too.” “Apart from that, there is a significant shortage of teachers. It seems that the Federal Ministry of Education does not want, or is unable to support the educational process anymore. It used to publish school books for a reasonable price, but now we have to buy everything on the market.” Parents in the Dereig camp in Nyala locality, South Darfur, also complain about increased school fees, and inadequate support from the authorities. A mother of four told Radio Dabanga that the students have to sit on the ground, as no desks are provided. “We have to buy school books and from the market, where the price of one book amounts to SDG10 ($1.75). This is far beyond our budget.” File photo: Boys in a classroom of a basic school in Labado village, East Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related:No school for children in North Darfur camps (13 July 2014)School fees ‘concern for parents’ in Kabkabiya, North Darfur (2 July 2014)Displaced in Central Darfur reject school fees (12 June 2014)