The national consultation workshop was inaugurated by H.E. Dr. Al-Tahami Al-Zain Hajar, Minister of Education, Mr Junaid Sorosh-Wali, UNESCO Representative to Sudan; Dr Aiman Badri, Head of the Education Sector at UNESCO Sudan, senior government officials; development partners; and representatives of academia and civil society organizations.
Opening the workshop, the Minister of Education reaffirmed the government’s commitment to rebuilding the education sector and highlighted the importance of integrating climate resilience into education policies and planning to ensure the continuity of learning and better prepare future generations for the challenges of climate change.
“The reconstruction of Sudan begins with rebuilding its schools, as they are the foundation for rebuilding people and restoring stability. As we look towards the post-war recovery, integrating climate change into education planning is essential to building a more resilient education system that is better equipped to recover from and respond to future crises,” – H.E. Dr. Al-Tahami Al-Zain Hajar, Minister of Education.
UNESCO commended the Ministry of Education for its leadership in restoring education despite the unprecedented challenges facing Sudan, including its efforts to reopen schools and return children to learning. UNESCO also noted that this is the first time Sudan has embarked on developing a dedicated Climate Change Strategy for the Education Sector, describing it as a historic step towards building a more resilient and future-ready education system.
“Climate change is no longer only an environmental challenge, it is an education challenge. By developing this strategy, Sudan is taking an important step towards protecting learning, strengthening schools, and preparing young people to become part of the solution,” – Mr. Junaid Sorosh-Wali, UNESCO Representative to Sudan.
As the United Nations specialized agency for education, UNESCO is providing strategic technical support throughout the process. Drawing on its global expertise and leadership through initiatives such as the Greening Education Partnership and the Climate Smart Education Systems Initiative, UNESCO will support the Ministry in developing a strategy that reflects international good practice while responding to Sudan’s national priorities and context.
The consultation workshop brought together key stakeholders to identify strategic priorities and institutional arrangements for the strategy. Discussions focused on climate-resilient education planning, safer school infrastructure, curriculum and teacher development, disaster risk reduction, education data systems, and climate financing.
The workshop marks the beginning of a nationally led process that will culminate in Sudan’s first Education Sector Climate Change Strategy, providing a roadmap to strengthen the resilience of the education sector, protect learning from climate-related risks, and equip learners with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a more resilient and sustainable future.
read more: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-supports-sudan-launching-development-countrys-first-education-sector-climate-change-strategy?hub=701
