A campaign to rehabilitate the University of Nyala has begun in the capital of Sudan’s South Darfur state, as authorities prepare to resume in-person classes after years of disruption caused by the war.
The work includes repairing and refurbishing classrooms, faculty buildings and administrative offices, officials overseeing the campaign said.
Mohamed Hassan Al-Taayshi, prime minister of the Tasees government, visited the university to inspect the rehabilitation work and review its progress.
The Tasees government, an RSF-aligned administration known as the Government of Peace and Unity, is headquartered in Nyala.
Al-Taayshi said universities in areas controlled by the Tasees government had sufficient capacity to accommodate students. Where capacity was insufficient, authorities would resort to online education using internet services.
The prime minister also praised residents for protecting the University of Nyala from destruction and vandalism during the war.
Al-Noor Ali Ahmed Fadl, head of the popular committee overseeing the campaign, thanked Al-Taayshi for his support, saying it had helped overcome obstacles facing the rehabilitation effort.
Higher Education Minister Eid Ibrahim Breima said classes would initially resume in person before later shifting to online learning.
He said the government planned in the next phase to share the cost of higher education with the public, with greater emphasis on applied fields such as engineering, medicine and agriculture to help develop a skilled workforce.
Sudan’s war erupted on April 15, 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has displaced more than 14 million people, according to the United Nations.
The RSF controls most of Darfur, including Nyala, while the army holds large areas of eastern and central Sudan. Millions of Sudanese have fled their homes, with many crossing into neighbouring countries including Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.
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