AVSI South Sudan

Key Facts in EducationSouth Sudan has some of the world’s worst indicators for education. Among theheadlines:• There are in excess of 1.3 million primary school age children out of school. SouthSudan stands second-to-bottom in the world ranking for net enrolment in primaryeducation — and bottom of the world league table for enrolment in secondaryeducation.• Young girls in South Sudan face extreme disadvantages in education.Girls are lesslikely l to enter school, more likely l to drop out, and there are just 400 in the last gradeof secondary education. Today, a young girl in South Sudan is three times more likelyto die in pregnancy or childbirth than to reach grade 8.• There are acute shortages of trained teachers. The ratio of pupils to qualified teachersaverages 100:1, but is double that level in some states. Just 12% of teachers arefemales, which reinforces gender inequalities.• Textbooks are in short-supply. There is just one English and math book for every fourstudents, which hampers effective learning.• The school infrastructure is in a weak state. Despite a major drive to build newclassrooms most children are still learning under tents, in the open air, or in semi-permanent structures. t Around one-third of South Sudan’s schools do not have safedrinking water, half are without access to latrines, and there is limited access to healthcentres.