Armed conflicts disrupt school exams in Darfur

Thousands of children in Darfur are not able to return to school in the near future, because of the armed conflicts in the region. Unicef stated that at least 26,000 school children in Darfur will not be able to sit for their Grade 8 exams. They are forced to do the final basic school exams next year for reasons beyond their control. The children are facing the double risk of being displaced because of the violence, and not being able to pursue their secondary education or vocational training. Since the beginning of this year, about 215,000 people were displaced owing to armed conflicts in Darfur, according to the UN. In South Darfur, Unicef and partners have supported the State Ministry of Education to establish two examination centres for newly displaced Grade 8 children to sit their exams which began on 15 March. For the area of East Jebel Mara, Unicef has supported the Ministry of Education with an examination centre in Nyala and on in Buram. The North Darfur State Ministry of Education has decided to postpone the exams in five localities until 26 April, because of the conflicts and new displacements in these localities. An exam centre will be established in El Fasher, Um Keddada, and in Kabkabiya, with the support of Unicef. File photo: Girls at school in Kabkabiya, North Darfur (Albert González Farran/Unamid) Related: Sudan to aid ‘victims of insurgency’ in eastern North Darfur (12 March 2014)