Investment in Education .opportunities and challenges in Sudan after war| Sudanow Magazine

Port- Sudan (Sudanow) ‘’ A penny which you owns out of your country, neither you own nor your son ’’is a Sudanese proverb that represents a reality in which believe all Sudanese people. Every expatriate in any spot of earth trusts that it must be fully prepared to invest his knowledge, money, time and effort upon its return to homeland. In field of education, a group of homeland's sons rushed to invest in education before and during the war, and up until now, they are steadfast and standing beside government education and supporting it. Their goal is to deliver this noble message and create a better future for Sudan. As Sudanese always bear in mind that the first word revealed in Holy Quran was "Read." They believe on this in their adherence to knowledge and learning, whether students, parents, or teachers, because education is the real basement to build nations and create its prosper, and advancement.

(Sudanow) hosted the educator of generations, Mr. Abdul Rahman Jabr Al-Nakkas, Director General of Scholarships and Missions at the Federal Ministry of Education, to focus this matter, who said '' since ancient times, education has played a fundamental role in advancement of peoples. Interesting with education began in Islamic era after Battle of Badr, when prisoners would teach the children of Muslims as ransom for their imprisonment. Then, alkhalawaa (free of charge popular schools of Quarn learning) appeared as a popular investment. Then gone on, alkhalawaa developed to formal education after colonialism, then popular schools and private education appeared in Sudan’’.

In another context, Al-Nakkas explained that to increase investment opportunities in education in Sudan, laws and regulations must be enacted for private investment education, land certifications must be approved for private schools, and flexibility must be done in scheduling payment of fees. And added that destruction of educational institutions, in addition to displacement of citizens to safe states and their seeking refuge outside the homeland, had negative effects on educational process and postponed Sudanese Certificate exams for more than two years.

These exceptional conditions that country went through is an opportunity that investors should utilize to invest in education sector, as well as via encouraging government to train and motivate teachers for investment in education. Al-Nakas spoke to ( Sudanow) about challenges facing investment in education after war include restrictive education laws, teachers training, flexibility in education fees, attention to special needs, consideration for vast majority of Sudanese people and their conditions after war, and general post-war poverty.

In this regard, (Sudanow) also spoke to educator of generations and defender of nation’s message, Dr. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Sheikh Aburnat, founder of the Aburnat Educational Foundation. Aburnat Schools include (Arabic Section, and Green Gate , Foreign Education Section’’ , were among topped schools in Sudan before the war. It is sufficient that the school was the first to pass the Sudanese Certificate exams for the year 2020. The school has several branches inside and outside Sudan. In Sudan, it has branches in Khartoum (East of the Nile, Al-Huda District, Lulua Soba, Kafouri, and Omdurman), as well as the city of Atbara. As new Branches were added after war in Madani, Omdurman, and Al-Damr.

“In their vision, they don’t look at much financial gain, and it is not goal, at least in this stage. It is enough that they provided jobs for many Sudanese and supported those in need, who are many, and push wheel of education to continue despite the difficulty of work from all sides,” Dr. Alsheikh said and added. “We provided qualitative work, and our results show that. The fees were in suitable range, so the number of students was large, and we made it more widespread in several branches inside brotherly country of Egypt in (Ajami, Badr City, Al-Nozha, Al-Ahram Gardens, Al-Haram, Faisal, and Tenth of Ramadan).” and continue “We have attracted most qualified teachers from public and private education, and most talented students from all the states of Sudan, which has created a large base for us in Sudan and led us to open branches in areas that were not previously included in our plans, such as Um Durman, Madani, and there are others on the way." Abu Ranat reported , "We had 670 students take the exam in elementary school, 785 students in middle school, and 477 students in high school, and we expect great successful results this year’’.

"Dr. Alsheikh said, "We were expecting a large number of people to return to Sudan in 2025/2026, but we note that the number is increasing, not decreasing, indicating that the return will be gradual. This requires us to maintain our branches in Sudan until they are completed by the end of this exceptional year. It is enough for us to record a presence, regardless of profits. Rather, we must contribute for Getting things back on track"."

Aburnat added, "Our policy in Sudan this year is for all those who out of school there and catch up with their brothers, and to be rebuilt and rehabilitate our schools . We hope that the relevant authorities will contribute to overcoming the difficulties, especially the fees currently imposed on schools by the ministry or local authorities’’.

"He added that the education sector will not improve except by increasing spending on public education, returning it to its former glory, paying attention to teacher and his salary equal with his colleagues in other professions, granting him more privileges, as well as paying attention to aspects of rehabilitation and training and returning educational institutes. The education sector in Sudan faced many challenges after the outbreak of war. However, there are many opportunities, as efforts of its sons have never let it down, they remained steadfast to deliver the message and enabled all the country's sons to join process of education in and out the homeland .

Current Affairs

The US Commission on International Religious Freedoms: Sudanese RSF Militias in the Bad List

Battle to save the crumbling palace of General Gordon’s Last Stand

UN Fact-Finding Mission: Evidence in El-Fasher Reveals Genocidal Campaign