Dust rises from the courtyard of Lokloko Primary School as hundreds of pupils move between classrooms, their voices echoing across the crowded compound in the western South Sudanese town of Wau.
Inside one classroom, 14-year-old Gouveia George holds a worn exercise book and listens closely to her teacher. Like many pupils here, she shares a bench with several classmates in a school where enrolment has grown faster than the number of desks.
For Gouveia, simply being in that classroom is an achievement.
“My family does not have money,” she says reticently. “When they gave us the money for girls’ education, I used it to buy books and pay school fees.”
The modest cash transfer she received, part of a program designed to help girls remain in school, allowed her to buy a school bag, shoes, and exercise books.
Without it, she says, staying in school would have been difficult.
“I want to be a governor one day,” she adds with a shy smile.
Across South Sudan, poverty remains one of the biggest barriers preventing children, especially girls, from completing their education. But at schools like Lokloko in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, a mix of targeted cash support, improved classrooms, and sanitation facilities is helping more girls stay in school.
Tackling a persistent dropout problem
Education experts say one of the biggest challenges in the country’s school system is keeping girls in class as they grow older.
While boys and girls often begin primary school in similar numbers, girls frequently drop out in later years because families cannot afford school costs or because they face pressure to marry early or help with household responsibilities.
Although primary education is officially free, many families still struggle to pay for basic items such as uniforms, exercise books, and school supplies.
To address this, development partners have introduced cash transfer programs for girls, providing small amounts of money intended to cover education-related costs and reduce the risk of dropping out.
Teachers at Lokloko Primary School say the program has encouraged many girls to continue their studies.
“When girls see they are receiving exercise books, dignity kits, and some money to support their needs, it motivates them to come to school,” says Dahlia Peter Elario, a teacher at the school. “Some girls who were not attending classes before have started coming back.”
A growing school under pressure
Lokloko Primary School sits in the center of Wau and serves both early childhood learners and pupils from Primary One to Primary Eight.
Demand for education in the town has grown rapidly in recent years.
According to Arikanjelo Thomas, the school’s head teacher, the school recorded 2,279 pupilsin 2024, including 1,200 girls. By 2025, enrolment had risen to 2,630, with 1,310 girls.
Registration for 2026 is still ongoing, but the school has already recorded 1,190 pupils in the primary section, including 790 girls, as well as 240 children in early childhood classes, with 113 girls.
Despite the large enrolment, the school operates with 14 teachers, 10 of them women, supported by about 20 volunteer teachers.
The rising number of pupils reflects a growing demand for education, but also places pressure on existing facilities.
Support beyond cash
The cash transfers are part of a broader effort by international partners to strengthen education in South Sudan.
Through funding from the European Union and the Global Partnership for Education, UNICEF constructed three climate-resilient classrooms and two latrine blocks at Lokloko Primary School to improve learning conditions and sanitation for students.
Another partner, Help a Child, has supported teacher training, parent-teacher association training, and school management committees. The organization has also helped distribute dignity kits and learning materials to students.
Education officials say such investments are aimed at making schools safer and more welcoming, particularly for girls who often face additional barriers to staying in school.
During a visit to Lokloko Primary School in Wau, Canadian Ambassador Joanne Minns praised the impact of targeted investments, including improved classrooms, hygiene facilities, and support for children with disabilities.
“The challenges are still clear: overcrowded classrooms, under-trained teachers, and language barriers affect learning. Quality education is the most important thing; without it, investment is for nothing,” she says.
Minns stressed that while donors provide crucial support, the sustainability of education depends on government investment. “Health and education are critical, and external funds can never fully replace government responsibility,” she states.
Noala Skinner, the UNICEF Representative to South Sudan, highlighted the broader benefits of education.
“The returns are almost unquantifiable,” she says. “Children gain skills and confidence to pursue their dreams to become pilots, governors, teachers, and doctors.”
Donors highlight both progress and gaps
Education partners say Lokloko Primary School illustrates both the benefits of investment and the challenges that remain.
David Ashley, the UK’s Ambassador, said improvements at the school demonstrate how education support programs can expand access to learning.
“You can see the benefits of investment in education here,” he said. “There are new buildings, improved sanitation facilities, and support for students.”
However, he noted that many challenges remain, including overcrowded classrooms and the need for better teacher training.
“We know education is important, but quality education is the most important thing,” he stresses.
Ashley also emphasizes that long-term progress will depend on stronger investment from the government.
“Donors can support,” he said, “but the sustainability of South Sudan’s future depends on the government investing in its citizens, especially in health and education.”
The limits of the program
Despite the progress, students and teachers say the current support still falls short of what many families need.
The cash transfers mainly target girls in Primary Seven and Primary Eight, leaving many younger students without assistance, even though they face similar financial challenges.
Teachers say expanding the program to include girls from lower classes could help prevent dropouts earlier in the education cycle.
The amount of money provided is another concern.
Students say rising prices in local markets mean the cash often covers only part of the cost of school supplies.
“The things in the market are very expensive,” says another student, Mugbula Omar Muhammad Yahya. “The money helps us buy bags, shoes, and exercise books, but it is not always enough.”
Schools also continue to struggle with shortages of benches, learning materials, and water facilities.
Lessons from the classroom
Despite these limitations, educators say the program demonstrates how targeted support can help address some of the barriers keeping children out of school.
Combining financial assistance with improved infrastructure and learning materials has helped increase attendance and encourage more girls to remain in class.
Education experts say expanding such initiatives while strengthening teacher support and government funding could help improve long-term outcomes for students across the country.
For girls like Jophia, the support she received has already made a difference. Without it, she says, she might not have reached her final year of primary school.
“Many people don’t have money,” she says. “This program helps us.”
For now, she continues attending classes at Lokloko Primary School, determined to complete her studies.
Her dream, she says, remains clear.
“One day,” she says, “I want to work for the government.”