Juba, September 8, 2025 – South Sudan today joined the rest of the
world in commemorating International Literacy Day (ILD) under
the global theme “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual
Understanding and Peace.”
Speaking at the event, leaders emphasized that literacy is both a basic
human right and a powerful driver of socio-economic development,
gender equality, and peace.
Highlighting the significance of ILD, the Minister of General Education and
Instruction Abol Kuyok Abol noted two key aspects: raising awareness of
literacy’s role in individual and societal growth, and reflecting on the
nation’s progress in education.
Since 2005, South Sudan has made steady gains. The adult literacy
rate has risen from 28% to 35%, while youth literacy stands at 54%.
School enrollment has expanded dramatically from 300,000 learners in
2005 to 2.2 million today, with near gender parity
achieved in primary education. In some states, the number of girls even
surpasses that of boys.
These achievements were credited to government commitments, including President
Salva Kiir Mayardit’s 2008 Girls’ Education Policy and the 2023
declaration of free and compulsory education.
However, challenges persist. Large numbers of children remain out of school,
with conflict, flooding, and displacement compounding the situation. Over 24%
of refugees and returnees are school-aged children, overwhelming
facilities in areas such as Central and Eastern Equatoria.
Officials and development partners were urged to strengthen support for
education alongside humanitarian interventions, ensuring that displaced and
disadvantaged children are not left behind.
Concluding the commemoration, leaders encouraged citizens and institutions
to embrace the spirit of ILD by fostering a culture of reading and numeracy. “Literacy
lays the foundation for an inclusive and equitable society,” they
affirmed.
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