Soaring Nyala bus fares hampering South Darfur students

Secondary school students of Otash camp in Nyala locality are prevented from attending classes in South Darfur’s capital Nyala by the sharply increased transport costs. The population of Nyala is complaining about skyrocketing food prices. “The price of a bus ticket from Otash camp to Nyala has risen from SDG 1 ($0.17) to SDG 3 ($0.52)”, a sheikh of Otash camp reported to Radio Dabanga. He explained that because of this fare rise, many secondary school students in the camp cannot attend classes in Nyala. “If you have three children going to school in Nyala for example, this will cost you SDG 18 ($3.15) daily, apart from the other daily expenses. This is an impossible situation.” The camp sheikh demanded from the local authorities to resolve the problem of the high transport prices, and called for the establishment of two secondary schools within the camp, “so that the camp students can continue their studies”. Food prices soaring In Nyala city, food prices are skyrocketing. Most of the farmers in the region have abandoned farming during the current agricultural season, after many of them were displaced when paramilitary Rapid Support Forces lunched widespread attacks on villages in the rural areas southeast of Nyala early this year. File photo: Ibrahim Hamid Mohamed, volunteer teacher at the secondary school for boys and girls in Um Maraheik, North Darfur, walks two hours every day to teach the students (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: Thousands displaced in attack on more than 35 villages in South Darfur (28 February 2014)