South Sudan has begun distributing more than 1.1 million textbooks to primary schools nationwide with support from China and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The books, covering science, mathematics, and English, are being delivered to schools in Lakes, Western Bahr El Ghazal, Unity State, and the Abyei Administrative Area, officials said. Earlier shipments reached Jonglei, Central Equatoria, and the Ruweng and Pibor administrative areas.
Education Minister Kuyok Abol Kuyok called the delivery a milestone in implementing the country’s new national curriculum. He said the program includes textbook revision, teacher training, and quality assurance.
“We are on a very ambitious road of implementing a new education system,” Kuyok said at a ceremony in Juba on Monday. “This project allows us to revise, train, and review textbooks to meet our standards.”
The textbooks, printed by the Shanghai Educational Publishing House under Phase II of the China-aided Technical Cooperation Project in South Sudan, were reviewed by local educators for curriculum relevance, officials said.
UNICEF is supporting transport and logistics through the Global Partnership for Education. UNICEF Representative Noala Skinner said secure delivery is essential for children to benefit from the materials.
“These textbooks need to get into the hands of children,” Skinner said. “Safe and unhindered access across all regions is essential to ensure schools can function and learners can benefit.”
“I would like to thank the Embassy of China, the Honourable Minister, the Ministry of General Education, and the Global Partnership for Education for their support.”
Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Ma Qiang described the initiative as a landmark in bilateral cooperation. He noted that previous phases of the program delivered millions of textbooks, trained over 920 teachers in China, and reached nearly 150,000 students.
Ma affirmed that China is committed to the principles of sincerity, tangible results, and good faith, and stressed that the country is dedicated to implementing the global development initiative, placing development at the center of international cooperation.
He added, “The distribution of these textbooks is particularly significant. It represents not only the transmission of knowledge and mutual understanding among civilizations but also a bridge connecting the hearts of the Chinese and South Sudanese people.”