Education authorities in Sudan’s capital have cut working hours and reduced the number of lessons per day because of a shortage of bread.

The Director of Basic Education in Khartoum State said the reduction will continue until the situation improves.

“Due to the condition the country is experiencing and shortages of bread, it has been decided that work in schools should be in the morning hours from 7:30 am to 11:00 am, and the number of lessons should not exceed four periods a day,” Hamaza Ahmed Mohamed al-Fahal said in a letter.

The directive which was issued on Monday takes effect immediately.

The BBC has learned that bakeries in Khartoum could run out of wheat flour in the next seven days.

The shortages are understood to have been caused by protests in eastern Sudan, which have blocked roads and forced Red Sea ports to close in recent weeks.

Members of the Beja community have been complaining about what they said was their political marginalisation and poor economic conditions.