Koranic School
Unhappiness reigns in a Sudanese Koranic school
In a Sudanese Koranic school, boys are kept in harsh conditions and study long hours to learn the Koran. Play is forbidden, talk of escape punished, and failure to learn is heavily frowned upon. Study is restricted to memorising the Koran and nothing else, a task which in itself takes years.
"They must give up playing. Playing is harmful", says a sheikh. "It doesn't allow them time to study. Anyone who misbehaves is whipped so that he doesn't play anymore." The boys here are subject to an iron-handed rule. Even sleep is a rare luxury, with study and prayer ongoing from 2:30am to 10pm. Punishment for straying over the line can be harsh: one boy, Ali, is seen dragging heavy chains behind him. "I was chained because they said I'm not learning the holy Koran, and because I don't want to stay here", he explains. The boys are essentially prisoners, and are not permitted to leave the compound.
A film by Mark Stucke.
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