Educational challenges in South Sudan

Written by Hassan A. Abusim

Education is one of the human rights that guarantee the continuity of generations and the steadiness of development and is one of the best tools for breaking the poverty cycle, as it is the basic building block for the building and renaissance of societies. The challenges of education for a country that recently gained its independence (2011) – the world’s newest nation, and occupies 2nd place on the (Fragile States Index) are extremely difficult and complex.

Agok Primary School, Abyei. Photo by Global Care.

What are the challenges for South Sudan?

In South Sudan, 70% of children aged between 6 and 17 have never set foot in a classroom. Only 10% of children complete primary education – one of the worst completion rates in the world. Shockingly, a girl in South Sudan is more likely to die in childbirth than to complete primary education.

A lack of quality teaching staff and inadequate school buildings are challenges that added to extreme poverty, as families desperately work for the next meal.

This is compounded by the violence and unrest militia groups bring to these poor communities. Thousands of young people join militia groups every year in the absence of any other source of livelihood, creating a vicious cycle of destruction.

Educational System

Unlike the previous educational system of regional Southern Sudan—which was modelled after the system used in the Republic of Sudan since 1990—the current educational system of the Republic of South Sudan follows the (8 + 4 + 4) system (similar to Kenya). Primary education consists of eight years, four years of secondary education, and four years of university instruction.

The primary language at all levels is English, as compared to the Republic of Sudan, where the language of instruction is Arabic. In 2007, South Sudan adopted English as the official language of communication. There is a severe shortage of English teachers and English-speaking teachers in the scientific and technical fields.

Education Development Plan

In 2010, South Sudan Development Plan (2011-13), through its two ministries of education, organized a conference titled the “The Education Reconstruction Development Forum.” The conference, intended to create a national dialogue about the fundamental problems in South Sudan’s educational infrastructure, did not have the intended effect “South Sudan Development Plan (2011-13)”. However, a persistent situation in South Sudan is a significant gender gap between teachers and students. The fact that the majority of teachers are male, with a near absence of female teachers further marginalizes female students, in particular.

Furthermore, a high school student-to-teacher ratio of 300 to 1 means that learning necessarily takes place in overcrowded classes. The lack of support staff such as librarians, school counsellors, and psychologists, which are staples in many educational systems and especially relevant for children with special needs, is evident as well. South Sudan also lacks modern technology, such as computers, for both teachers and students, from primary to university levels.

Challenges in the transportation system

Educational inequalities persist along rural and urban lines. For one, all 120 secondary schools are in South Sudan’s towns. Students from rural regions who want to obtain a secondary education must take on high transportation costs, which prevent some students from even trying. This challenge compounds upon others. Many rural South Sudanese families engage in cattle-keeping, for example, which forces school-aged children to migrate according to seasonal variations and economic pressures.

Challenges in Educational Facilities

Many school buildings have been decimated. In 2013, tensions between two major politicians spurred fighting between the Dinka and Nuer ethnic tribes. Thousands were killed and more than two million were displaced during the two-year civil war that followed. In the midst of this, 800 school buildings were destroyed. While 6,000 remained usable, almost all of them were stripped of vital educational resources and infrastructure. “Anywhere else, they wouldn’t be called schools. It’s a tree and a blackboard,” (UNICEF’s chief of education in South Sudan told NPR in 2016.)

Crowded primary classroom in South Sudan, where teacher-student ratios far outstrip international norms and there is little hope for individualized support, inclusive practices, or quality education. Photo by Windle Trust International.

A key question was asked of many targeted participants; “Since the independence of South Sudan, what do you view as the most pressing problem (s) in the educational system?”

Participant responses to the key question posed by the interviewer as below:

ParticipantParticipant Responses
News Reporter“One of the greatest problems affecting our new country today is the continued problems and rivalries between the different tribes which has included severe violence and which has forced the government to pay a lot of money to police, security, and military forces. These problems are so severe that it is not unusual for the government to come to a complete standstill daily to the point that nothing functions in the country, not the transportation system, not the stores and markets, and not the schools. To me, the tribal problems, if not resolved, will bring this country down. I feel very bad for the children because, at times, no one seems to care for them, and many of them are likely to wander in life with no sense of contributing to their existence”. 
Minister of Education Representative #1“The major problem in the South Sudanese educational system is that we have no buildings for our students and teachers (Overcrowded Facilities). We, the government, keep telling them to be patient, but they want everything right away. This is a new country with other important priorities like our health care system, our refugee problem, our continuing problems with Sudan, and the mental health of the people affected by the war. Many of the citizens of our country have much emotional scarring from a war that traumatized everyone. They should consider themselves fortunate that we want to help them. Many of the people are illiterate, especially the parents of the children, and do not understand our mission as the new government. The President is trying very hard”
Minister of Education Representative #2“In our state and village, we keep being promised money to build our schools as the children are missing their right to free education. Everyone has the right under Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to education, and so do the children of South Sudan. First, the people from the north, the Sudanese government betrayed us and never cared about our education in the South, and now, it sometimes feels that our current government does not care. How can children learn when the schools are made of foliage and the teachers don’t get paid, or the children have to sit on the floor with no books, and are often sick?”

To discuss educational challenges in South Sudan.

Recommendation for the educational system development in South Sudan needs enormous help:

  • ‘Returnee’ schools be given immediate assistance, according to the priorities set by school management and education authorities
  • Agencies support schools outside Juba (the capital of South Sudan) to relieve the congestion in Juba town and provide boarding facilities to attract female students.
  • Agencies work with education authorities to establish policies to address quality and huge gender gaps in enrolment and attainment.
  • Support is provided to develop and procure English-language textbooks and provide intensive language training.
  • Literacy programs be targeted at adults who missed out on education to make them aware of its value and why they should send their children, including girls, to school

Conclusions

 The results of our observations that the current educational system in South Sudan continues to be in crisis mode, and perhaps even more so now that the country is in a civil war. Irrespective of age and role in education, the participants cited continued political strife, mistrust in the government and a chaotic economic system as contributing to the failure of education. The absence of a reliable transportation system also directly impacts the educational system in South Sudan; youth are dependent on transportation to get to school. Other problems voiced by the participants include the absence of school buildings, and the lack of basic resources such as books, teaching supplies, and computers. Overall, the needs are considerable for this new nation and are the result of a lack of economic resources in families; corruption and graft among school employees and administrators; the marginalization of female students and teachers; and a denial of basic human rights including the right to a continuous education.

References
  • Care, G. (2023, July 24). South Sudan Project. Retrieved from Global Care Organization: https://www.globalcare.org/project/south-sudan/
  • Delegal, J. (2019). 8 FACTS ABOUT EDUCATION IN SOUTH SUDAN. The Borgen Project.
  • G., B. (2011). Education in Southern Sudan: Investing in a better future. London, England: Center for Universal Education, Brookings Institute.
  • John Kuek, R. J. (2014). HUNGER FOR AN EDUCATION: A RESEARCH ESSAY ON THE CASE OF SOUTH SUDAN AND THE VOICES OF ITS PEOPLE. Forum for International Research in Education, 22-31.
  • WIKIPEDIA. (2023, July 26). South Sudan. Retrieved from WIKIPEDIA website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudan

Girl’s education in South Sudan

Written by Agnes Amaral

The reality of girl’s education in South Sudan must be understood not simply in the context on lack of gender inequality but within a system of class domination based on wartime predation. South Sudan only recently gained independence in July of 2011. There are a lot of implications of wartime and post-war resource capture that overcome education infrastructure now. The civil war increased social inequality and created new social relations in which elites gained substantial power, enabling them to maintain the status quo. 

This formation illustrates how corruption became part of the political system and brought forward problems that affect today’s education system in South Sudan. Principally considering one of the main problems is that the education system is stressed by a lack of school infrastructure and teaching materials, as well as the limited number of qualified teachers. Another problem related to income inequality is the expenses the educational system does not cover. Although education is technically free, families are expected to pay additional fees if they want their children to receive an education—for example, textbooks and uniforms. 

Monica in a classroom in Oxfam’s girls’ education project, Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan. Photo by Laura Pannack, Oxfam East Africa.

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION

Education is a key determinant for overcoming inequality on a global scale. Post civil war, South Sudan became a subsistence agriculture economy to survive. Children were included in this process and expected to work in order to maintain the household. That is a problem since they don’t have enough time to attend school and school activities. 

Half of the country’s population is in extreme poverty. Work functions as a form of immediate sustenance, taking away education as a fair opportunity. Additionally, there is a low employment in the country. For this reason, most jobs are tied to agriculture and services, children are part of this labor force.

A deficit of government investments in education also accentuates the problem in the country. Only 30% of the population can read and write, according to World Population Review in 20191.

Not only is access to education a problem but consistent enrollment of students in school. Most children cannot complete the primary school cycle. This is due to  financial difficulties and poor infrastructure. Some students must walk more than 3km a day to get to school. This makes leaving school a viable alternative.

GENDER INEQUALITY

These forms of oppression affect women even more. Many girls and women abandon school to perform a common cultural reality in this country, for example, early marriage. Gender inequality directly affects teachers too. According to UNICEF, in 2006, only seven percent of teachers were women.

South Sudan has a conservative ideology promoting the negative perception of women and girls. Women don’t have access to property ownership, and this makes marriage an option to survive. It is a cultural aspect that reflects in all spheres of South Sudanese society. Marriage confines girls into a dependency system because it is the primary source of income. They are expected to labor in domestic chores and have almost no time to dedicate to educational growth. 

Many girls spend their childhood and adolescence carrying water, cooking, cleaning and caring for babies, leaving no opportunity to study and further their education. Education is essential aspect to successfully break down these barriers. Especially an egalitarian education that reduces gender inequality.

Recently, Pope Francis spoke out about the fact that many girls do not make it to secondary education in South Sudan. “Please, protect, respect, appreciate and honor every woman, every girl, young woman, mother, and grandmother. Otherwise, there will be no future” (Reuters) The event brought together religious people and a humanitarian, Sara Beysolow Nyanti, to discuss the protection of women and girls in the country.

Education is a very important agenda. Since it is recognised as an opportunity for  girls and women to access other realities. Not only financial realities but cultural realities that evoke the gender role socially.

The leadership of women who fight for their rights is evidenced, since the challenges they all face, such as forced marriage, lack of school infrastructure, low income, etc., are varied. Although South Sudan offers free education, it is possible to conclude that there are several obstacles to improving the quality of life of these girls. Several studies show how less than half the population attended school, a number that decreases when the cut-off is by gender. Many girls work in agricultural activities to support the household. The confrontation of this problem must be thought through in several arenas. More than just guaranteeing free education, recognising and fighting child labor as a determinant of poverty is necessary. Investments in education must be recognised in the mitigation of gender inequality in order for the future generations to enjoy the benefits that education brings to society.