(Aweil) – A new school building at Aguath Primary School in Baac Payam, Aweil County, is already changing lives before its official completion, as pupils begin to register in large numbers.
Thanks to a project led by UNICEF and funded by Germany through the KfW Development Bank, the school has grown from around 500 pupils to 724, including 156 girls.
South Sudan continues to face a serious education crisis, with nearly 60% of children having never been to school or dropping out early. Out of about 4.75 million school age children, including almost half a million internally displaced, over 3.4 million need urgent educational support, according to the 2023 Education Cluster Mid-Year Report. Many primary schools across the country operate under difficult conditions, including a shortage of over 42,000 trained teachers.
Until recently, pupils at Aguath Primary School were studying under trees, fully exposed to harsh sun and rain. These poor conditions made it difficult for children to remain in school, especially girls. Lessons would stop whenever it rained, and books were often damaged.
The construction of eight classroom blocks by UNICEF under the Joint Resilience Project marks a new chapter for the school. The project aims to improve access to education by providing better facilities. Although many of the school’s volunteer teachers have not received salaries for nearly a year, the new structure is boosting morale and giving the school renewed hope.
James Garang Diing, Chairperson of the Parent-Teacher Association, thanked UNICEF and its donors. He said the new school would not only make learning easier but also help promote education in the wider community. He added that the community is committed to building latrines, as the current construction budget did not cover sanitation facilities.
Fiftee -year-old Luat Athian, a Primary 6 student who dreams of becoming a humanitarian worker, said the new classrooms would allow her and her classmates to learn safely and comfortably. Her teacher, Simon Athian, voiced this, saying the children would no longer need to run for shelter during bad weather.
Pa Ousman, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office for Greater Bahr el Ghazal, said the school is a clear example of the power of education. “Seeing students register even before the building is completed shows the real impact education has in our communities,” he said.
The new building at Aguath is one of five schools UNICEF has constructed under the KfW-funded Resilience Project. Others include Uyon, Wathok, Panameth, and Panadhot primary schools, all in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. These projects are offering nearly 1,000 pupils access to safe, quality education and giving them a chance for a better future.
UNICEF says it will continue to work with local communities, government partners, and donors to strengthen South Sudan’s education system.
