Introduction

4

Sudan Case Study

TANYA SAVRIMOOTOO AND KEBEDE FEDA

INTRODUCTION

Context of the study

This chapter takes a close look at the decentralized nature of the education finance system in Sudan and explores potential ways to increase the equity and efficiency of public spending. The challenges to ensuring equity and efficiency in education spending in Sudan, which are identified in this chapter, are not new, as many of the same observations have been made in a number of reports on this topic since 2010. However, the Sudanese Revolution of 2019 has created a unique opportunity to usher in deep transformative reforms that can have a significant impact on the goal of ensuring that all Sudanese children have access to quality education.

The chapter is structured as follows. First is an overview of the education sector, including its structure, management, and performance. The next section describes education finance in the context of decentralization, including the financing framework, public expenditures, and links to learning outcomes. The final section suggests some key policies to strengthen Sudan’s education finance system.

Country context

Sudan has a population of about 43 million people and, as of 2019, was administratively divided into 18 states and 189 localities. In 2011, after many years of conflict, South Sudan seceded from Sudan to form its own country. The secession triggered economic hardship for the population of Sudan and precipitated the fall of the 30-year regime of Omar al-Bashir. Sudan’s oil revenues declined substantially, from 54 percent of total revenues in 2003 to just under 24 percent by 2013. The decline in revenue has contributed to budgetary shortfalls and undermined fiscal stability. Since 2018, Sudan has undergone a sociopolitical revolution that has fundamentally changed the path of the country. The Sudanese Revolution, which started in December 2018, culminated in the swearing in of the Interim Government in September 2019. This officially marked the end of