MoGEI and Windle Trust Launch Accelerated Secondary Education Programme to Qualify 5000 Teachers Across South Sudan

• Sep 25, 2026
• Awut Deng Jr.

The Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI), in partnership with Windle Trust International (WTI), launched the Accelerated Secondary Education Programme (ASEP) on 15 September 2026 in Juba. The flagship initiative will provide unqualified volunteer teachers with a second chance to complete their secondary education and improve their professional qualifications.

The launch forms part of the Building Skills for Human Capital Development in South Sudan (BSHCDSS) project, funded by the World Bank and jointly implemented by MOGEI and Windle Trust International. The project aims to expand educational opportunities for unqualified teachers, increase women's participation in the teaching profession, and support refugee teachers through intensive English language training.

Under the project, Windle Trust International is working in partnership with MoGEI to strengthen the skills and qualifications of 5,000 teachers across South Sudan's 10 states and three administrative areas. Of these, 4,000 teachers will complete their secondary education through ASEP and earn the South Sudan Certificate of Secondary Education (SSCSE), while 1,000 refugee teachers will receive intensive English language training.

ASEP is designed for learners whose education was disrupted by conflict, displacement, and poverty. While conventional secondary education typically takes four years, ASEP delivers the full National Competency-Based Curriculum in two and a half years, providing 46 weeks of learning annually and 20 contact hours per week. The programme leverages adult learners' capacity to acquire knowledge more efficiently while balancing their teaching responsibilities.

For many teachers in remote and underserved communities, returning to conventional secondary school is not a practical option. ASEP offers a flexible and accessible pathway to attaining a secondary education certificate while remaining in employment.

Promoting Gender Equity in Teaching A key objective of the project is to increase the number of female teachers in South Sudan. The programme targets a minimum of 35 per cent female participation, helping to address the country's persistent gender gap in the teaching workforce.

Speaking during the launch of ASEP condensed textbooks in December 2025, ASEP Project Implementation Unit focal person Elizabeth Yom Mach noted that women accounted for 35 per cent of enrolled ASEP learners, representing a significant milestone in a country where female teachers make up only a small proportion of the education workforce.

ASEP Goes Digital with Offline-First Learning The September launch also marked a major milestone in ASEP's evolution through the introduction of a new offline-first digital learning platform. Developed to expand access to quality secondary education in areas with limited internet connectivity and unreliable electricity, the platform enables learners to access educational content anytime and anywhere.

The platform was developed through collaboration between WTI, MoGEI, BeeKee, the World Bank Project Implementation Unit, and ASEP subject specialists.

Speaking at the launch, MOGEI Undersecretary Hon. Omot Okony Olok commended Windle Trust International for developing the platform, describing it as an important innovation that responds to the challenges learners face in accessing learning materials across South Sudan.

WTI South Sudan Country Director Loke Justine Gordon described the platform as "a new hope and a new beginning" for secondary school learners facing limited access to learning resources and other structural barriers.

The platform will initially be piloted in 11 ASEP centres across nine states and two administrative areas, providing an opportunity to test and refine the system in diverse operating environments.

Closing the event, Director General for TVET Mr. Simon Nyok Deng reaffirmed MOGEI's commitment to improving access to quality education and strengthening teacher development across the country.

Following the completion of the project in 2027, responsibility for the programme will be transferred to MOGEI, reinforcing the long-term sustainability and national ownership of the initiative.