Education in South Sudan: Status and Challenges for a New System

As part of the Country Status Report series, this book provides a comprehensive review of the status of education in post-conflict South Sudan. It is a result of collaborative work between MOE, key education stakeholders in South Sudan, and the World Bank. The aim is to contribute to the development of a shared vision for the future of the education system between government, citizens, and partners of the new South Sudan.With the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 began the establishment of a new education system specifically for South Sudan. Primary school enrollments approximately doubled between 2005 and 2009 from 0.7 million to 1.4 million; yet, the recent rapid growth has resulted in a concentration of students in the early grades, a high proportion of overage students, repetition, dropout, and weak levels of student learning. Thanks to the detail it offers, this book provides a solid foundation for dialogue about the future of education in South Sudan and will immediately be used to inform the preparation of an Education Sector Plan for the new country. The book underlines the strong progress that South Sudan has made in terms of expanding access to education, but also the many challenges that lie ahead. In particular, it sheds light on such questions as: Is everyone getting a chance at education? How much are students learning? What is the situation of schools and service delivery? What is South Sudan investing in education and how is it using these resources? Are the resources well-deployed and managed to ensure efficient functioning of the education system? The book offers a valuable and comprehensive resource for anyone interested in education in South Sudan.