From Classroom to Work: South Sudan’s Youth Need More Than Enrolment

High exclusion from school, uneven teaching and a thin market for skilled work require a linked education and livelihoods plan.

Scale of exclusion

UNICEF’s 2026 appeal estimates 2.81 million children, nearly 65 per cent of school-aged children, are out of school. This is an education-access estimate, not a youth unemployment rate. South Sudan Press has not found a comparable, current national unemployment measure that would support a precise headline figure.

The 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, released in April 2026 by the National Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF, offers a stronger evidence base for planning, with more than 10,000 households interviewed nationwide. Policymakers should use its education findings by state, gender and wealth to direct resources.

The transition problem

More classrooms and reliable teacher pay are foundational. Older youth also need practical pathways: short accredited training, apprenticeships, foundational numeracy and literacy, and safe transport to workplaces. Diplomas in Malakal can help local access, but they will matter most when matched to real vacancies and enterprise demand.

The claim that every graduate will find a job would be unsupported. Employers, technical institutes and public agencies should disclose placements, retention and earnings outcomes instead of counting only enrolments and certificates.

What to measure

Track attendance and completion by gender and county, teacher payment and training, functioning classrooms, practical placements, graduates in paid work after six and twelve months, and access for displaced and returning youth. Publish methods and denominators.

Sources: UNICEF 2026 South Sudan appeal; NBS/UNICEF 2025 MICS announcement. Information reviewed through 16 October 2026.