• Sudan, Egypt expand education cooperation amid conflict-driven system collapse

• Talks cover curricula, exams, technical education, Sudanese schools in Egypt

• Conflict leaves 9 million children out of school, UNICEF says

Sudan is turning to Egypt for support in rebuilding an education system weakened by conflict. Egypt’s Ministry of Education said on Tuesday the two countries plan to strengthen cooperation.

Egypt’s Education Minister Mohamed Abdel Latif met his Sudanese counterpart, Al-Tohami Al-Zain, in Cairo to discuss key priorities, including curriculum development, reform of assessment and examination systems, and the modernization of technical education. The legal status of Sudanese schools operating in Egypt was also discussed.

The context adds urgency. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), nearly one million Sudanese children have fled abroad since the conflict began, with 25% taking refuge in Egypt. This makes Egypt both a key partner and a major host country for displaced Sudanese students.

Focus on technical education

Vocational education was a central focus of the talks. Egypt’s “Technical Education 2.0” reforms have introduced competency-based curricula, workplace learning and public-private partnerships, according to the European Training Foundation (ETF). The reforms are supported by a 45 million euro vocational training programme backed by the European Union.

Al-Zain said Sudan aims to draw on that model. He also reaffirmed Khartoum’s commitment to UNESCO programmes supporting the modernization of its education system.

Data from the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies highlight the scale of the crisis: 54% of schools in Sudan are located in conflict zones, affecting 12.5 million students. Nine million children are currently out of school, in addition to the 6.9 million who were already excluded before the war.

Officials say cooperation between the two countries will not be sufficient on its own to address the crisis. Egypt, which has a national education strategy covering 2024-2029, is positioning itself as a regional partner. Sudan is continuing efforts to prevent long-term disruption to schooling. Whether these initiatives lead to concrete measures remains unclear.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou