The Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan has been clearly spelt out that basic education must be free and compulsory to all children. It is, therefore, the mandate of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction to ensure translation enactment into actual deeds. MoGEI is also mandated to develop appropriate policies and strategies for guaranteeing this noble task and to ensure that other related roles such as the oversight and equity issues are dealt with properly. These tasks are to be delivered by the seven Directorates of the Ministry, one secretariat, two centers and a Teachers’ Development and Management Services and their respective departments through the stewardship of the Honourable Minister and Honourable Undersecretary.

1. Plan education provision and set national standards for public and private schools.
2. Organize and create directorates, departments, and units in conformity with the roles and functions in sub-section (i) above.
3. Administer and manage the finances of the Ministry.
4. Manage national planning and budgeting for general education.
5. Develop the National Curriculum, publish and provide advice on teaching and learning materials.
6. Develop policies and set national standards for teacher recruitment, management, training and deployment.
7. Develop policies for and regulate educational assessment in schools and other General Education institutions.
8. Develop and ensure implementation of the national common standards for inspection and maintenance of standards in schools.
9. Make regulations for and inspect public and private schools.
10. Coordinate education programmes with the State Ministries of Education.
11. Delegate some roles and responsibilities to the State Ministries of education as it deems necessary.
12. Appoint an Advisory Committee to assist in policymaking, planning, implementation or evaluation of educational programmes, if it deems it appropriate.
13. Provide training for teachers of national secondary schools and national teacher training institutions, which are managed by the Ministry.
14. Conduct educational research to determine the quality of education system in South Sudan and use the findings of such a research for planning purposes.
15. Exercise any other function that may be assigned or delegated to it by Law.