On January 24, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the day as the International Day of Education. It is a day meant to acknowledge the importance of education in achieving sustainable development.

Yesterday, the world celebrated the fourth International Day of Education under the theme “Changing Course, Transforming Education”.

On this day we are reminded that education is a human right and not a privilege. According to UNESCO, education is a public good and a public responsibility.

“Education is the most powerful force in our hands to ensure significant improvements in health, to stimulate economic growth, and to unlock the potential and innovation we need to build more resilient and sustainable societies,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.

Indeed, it is the day we all need to reaffirm the fundamental principles that have been affected by so many factors such as the COVID-19, war, and floods as a result of climate change. Some children have not been able to return to school since the outbreak of the COVID-19 and some could not access their classrooms due to flooding.

An estimated 490,000 children had been affected by heavy flooding in South Sudan as of 2019, especially in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Warrap, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal, according to UNICEF. The organisation said about 70,000 children could be forced out of schools in Upper Nile State. No doubt, this number could have increased by now as more people were displaced last year by the floods.

While schoolchildren continue to face numerous challenges, education cannot be halted. The government and its partners like UNICEF need to ensure that they provide an alternative learning method to the flood-displaced schoolchildren so that they do not drop out of school. It is worth acknowledging that UNICEF has been supporting flood-displaced children with mobile schools and learning materials in areas like Upper Nile State.

However, this mobile school method may not be sustainable without enough support from donors. There is a need for donors to support the flood-affected children in the country as a part of the world’s commitment to the promotion of fundamental principles.

The government should make universal education the leading priority, and this could not be possible if other factors contributing to better education are ignored. We need better pay for the teachers to enable them to provide education to our children, and we cannot talk of quality education or reducing the illiteracy rate when teachers are unable to meet their families basic needs.

 The government, partners, and local leaders should work together to promote equal education rights regardless of gender. Parents should ensure that they provide equal education to their children and stop early and forced marriages.