WAU, South Sudan. The renovation of classrooms at Biringi Primary School and the construction of new classrooms at Jebel Andiya Primary School in Western Bahr el Ghazal State are giving hundreds of learners renewed hope for a better education.

 

The initiative, implemented under the Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project Phase II (ECRP II) by the Government of South Sudan in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), aims to improve access to quality education and basic services for vulnerable communities.

 

At Biringi Primary School in Baggari Payam, four classrooms have been renovated, alongside the construction of latrines, a borehole, and a water system to improve hygiene and sanitation.

 

For David Juma Natali, an 18-year-old pupil in Primary Two, the renovated classrooms have brought stability to his education.

“We used to study under trees because the school was destroyed. When it rained, we stayed at home, and during the dry season, we could only attend one morning lesson because of the heat,” Juma said.

 

Headteacher Domini Zakodo Ali recalled that the school was destroyed during the 2016 conflict, leaving children with no safe learning space.

“The roofs, windows, and doors were all removed during the fighting,” Zakodo said.

 

“Now, the school is completely transformed into a conducive learning environment. Our performance has improved from just 10–20% to 75%.”

Biringi Primary School currently has 123 pupils, 55 females and 68 males — who now enjoy safer, cleaner, and better-equipped classrooms.

Community members say the transformation has renewed their children’s motivation to learn.

 

From Biringi. Similar progress has been witnessed at Jebel Andiya Primary School, where two new classrooms were recently constructed.

For 19-year-old Marcell Lucia, a pupil at the school, the new learning environment has ended years of struggling under harsh weather conditions.

“When it rained, our lessons were disrupted. But now, with the new classrooms, we can study without interruptions,” Lucia said.

 

“Our old classrooms were made of grass and got very hot. I hope the Government and IOM will expand the school to accommodate more students.”

Teacher Rufai Leon described the new facilities as a “milestone” in improving access to quality education in the area.

 

“We used to teach in grass-thatched rooms that fell apart after a few months. The Government and IOM saw our need and built these classrooms. We now need more rooms, offices, and a fence to make the school safer,” he said.

Headteacher Angelo John called the development a turning point for both the school and the wider community.

 

“We are very grateful to the Government for this construction. The new classrooms have significantly improved student performance. Before, many would fail, but now only a few students receive low marks,” John explained.

Established in 2019, Jebel Andiya Primary School now has 286 students, 122 girls and 164 boys who previously studied under trees due to a lack of permanent structures.

 

Community chief Lucio Carlo said before the school was built, children had to walk more than 12 miles to attend classes in neighboring villages.

“We used to send our children to Mboro and Misir to study. Now, they can learn right here in Jebel Andiya,” Carlo said.

 

“Thank you for supporting our kids. When we die tomorrow, these children will take after us and move the country forward.

 

The ECRP II project, managed by the Ministry of Finance and Planning in collaboration with the Local Government Board (LGB), is funded at $150 million. It targets approximately 950,000 vulnerable individuals, half of whom are women, across 79 counties in Western Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Jonglei, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Warrap States, including the Greater Pibor and Ruweng Administrative Areas.

 

The second phase of the project focuses on enhancing access to basic services, strengthening institutional capacity, and improving flood resilience and disaster risk management at both national and local levels. It also includes an Operation and Maintenance (O&M) component to ensure the sustainability of infrastructure in the long term.

With these new and renovated classrooms, IOM and the Government of South Sudan are working to create supportive and resilient learning environments. The initiative not only improves access to education but also fosters hope among families in rural communities across Western Bahr el Ghazal State.