Girls' Education, South Sudan

Key facts

• Almost half of South Sudan's population, approximately 11 million people, live below the poverty line.
• Girls’ education is the most efficient strategy for breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and lifting families and communities from a place of marginalisation.
• Only one girl in ten completes primary education in South Sudan, and girls comprise just a third of the secondary school population.
• We’re changing perceptions through a communications campaign, which empower girls, families and communities to support girls’ education.

Challenges

This project's primary aim is to transform the lives of a generation in South Sudan through improving teaching and learning in schools and increasing girls’ access, retention and completion of primary and secondary education.

Solution

The programme is rooted in a communication campaign which aims to bring changes in social and individual behaviour towards girls’ education. Working with school and community based organisations (CBOs), we're helping build partnerships with governments to create girl-friendly, safe environments in schools. The programme is also generating knowledge and evidence about girls’ education in a post-conflict context.

We’re changing perceptions through locally produced radio programmes, theatre and debates, which empower girls, families, communities and their leaders to support girls’ education.

We’re using mobile technology to record teacher and learner attendance. So far, 6000 girls have received direct payments freeing them to stay in school by supporting their families, while 2824 schools have received grants to improve the learning environment.

Value and benefits

• The programme aims to benefit at least 150,000 girls in primary school and 50,000 girls in secondary school.
• We're working hand-in-hand with government at national, regional and county levels to increase the knowledge on what works in supporting girls’ education.
• It is estimated that 300,000 girls and 400,000 boys will benefit from the programme’s package of support.
• 1,000,000 girls in households will be reached through behaviour change communication to families, communities and leaders
• 2,600 schools will benefit from the provision of capitation grants.
• Learning outcomes will improve and drop-out rate and repetition rates will decrease across all 10 states.