Despite civil war and economic crisis, the educational sector in South Sudan has made tentative gains since 2011. This paper explores the everyday governance of schools in South Sudan, and the struggles of teachers to deliver education amid violence and predation and with scarce resources. The paper presents an analysis of policy data on education coupled with the insights of researchers and teachers from seven locations in South Sudan, drawing on interviews and a dialogue conducted by a group of South Sudanese researchers (the Bridge Network), between November 2018 and July 2019. The paper highlights commonalities between the experiences of teachers and schools across South Sudan, including the consequences of underinvestment in teachers and schools, and suggests that the notion of education as a civic right – which South Sudan’s government has comprehensively failed to uphold – may well cut across the divisions of the conflict. It emphasises the initiatives and contributions of teachers, parents, and wider communities, highlighting some of the many ways in which reliance on local communities is built into the education system and contributes to sustaining it. The discussion builds the case for investment in teachers, schools, and educational resources not only as a public good in its own right, but also as a prerequisite for long term peace and security in South Sudan.

Download