Education is vital for South Sudan’s survival

Jul 14th, 2011 3:01 PM UTC
By ONE Partners

Chris Sheach, World Concern’s deputy director of disaster response, discusses the world’s newest nation’s desperate need for education.

An 8th grade Arabic class has more than 100 students.

The birthday party is officially over, and now the Republic of South Sudan has a lot of growing up to do. After days of celebration and festivities, the people of the new nation have to face the reality of a very difficult uphill climb. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement culminated in secession on July 9. It was a six-year “peace” that involved almost daily fighting. This followed a 20-year war with more than 2 million casualties.

A class gathers underneath a tree

Unfortunately, human lives were not the only casualty of war. Currently, most South Sudanese have very limited access to health care, and 30 percent have no access whatsoever. There are only eight secondary schools in Warrap State, which has a population of 1 million people. The past few years have seen an influx of more than 2 million refugees from the North, further burdening the underdeveloped system.

Dropout rates in South Sudan are the highest in the world, with less than 25 percent of children in school. Of the students who do make it school, more than 80 percent are in temporary shelters, and less than 15 percent have desks and chairs for the students. Finding a teacher is also difficult, as the adult literacy rate is less than 25 percent. Girls suffer the most. In 2009, only 9 percent of girls finished primary school.

More students

“We need basic education for our children,” one mother pleaded to humanitarian organization World Concern. “The government promises free education, but there are not enough schools. Then we need to provide a uniform and a registration fee [costing about $67]. We don’t have money for schools.”

This awareness is the first step toward change. Adult literacy, especially for women, has shown the value of education, and enrollment is up every year. The government does, however need support. In Kwajok, more than one thousand students still attend class under a tree –- and bring their own chair. Teachers have class sizes as high as 100.

ONE partner World Concern is working with the Ministry of Education in Warrap State to build more classrooms in Kwajok. Together with UNICEF, we have established a new school.

In addition, we are expanding enrollment in our vocational school to allow more men and women the opportunity for literacy and job skills. In a rapidly growing economy, demand for skilled trades is high, and these graduates are starting their own businesses, or finding employment with the government or NGOs.

The road ahead is long, but for the South Sudanese, it is a worthwhile journey. Education is vital to the survival of a nation. Without it, people will continue to suffer, even with their political independence. We are excited to walk this road of opportunity with the people of the Republic of South Sudan.

To learn more and help meet urgent needs for families in South Sudan, visit www.worldconcern.org/feedsudan.

Chris Sheach is World Concern’s Deputy Director of Disaster Response.

TAGS: From Our Partners, ONE, ONE App, South Sudan, Sudan, Sudan Future