Boosting school attendance in South Sudan—One school desk at a time
“Imagine sitting on a stone or a brick on a wet floor; it makes learning uncomfortable. We in the lower class/grade were struggling because we didn't have classroom desks,” says the 12-year-old Zacharia.
Zacharia is a bright boy whose family just moved to Melut County in Upper Nile State from Sudan because of the ongoing crisis. After arriving, they settled in Melut where Zacharia enrolled in a primary school to continue his education. But he faced a challenge because the school didn’t have classroom desks. The students have to sit on stones and bricks, which are not comfortable.
Chan, 13, mentioned that sitting on stones makes their uniforms dirty all the time because of the dust. “Sometimes when I wash my uniform and it rains at night, it won't dry. This means i must go to school not wearing my uniform, which can lead to getting punished,” says Chan.
In 2024, a significant milestone was achieved when the school received additional 200 desks, making a total of 500 desks, from Enabling Meaningful Participation of Women and Girls for Essential Rights (EMPOWER) Project managed by World Vision. This support aimed to address a long-standing desire among pupils, as many had experienced challenges due to the lack of desks in their classrooms.
According to Zacharia, the classroom desks have notably increased student attendance among lower-grade students. The appeal of having a proper desk to sit at is clear, as students naturally prefer the comfort and practicality of a desk over using stones. Consequently, the school has experienced a significant rise in attendance, demonstrating the positive effect of accessible and suitable learning resources.
“The presence of the desks for the lower grade students has attracted many pupils to attend class because every pupil loves to use a desk compared to stones,” says Zacharia.
About the Empower Project
The EMPOWER project, funded by Irish Aid, plays a crucial role in enhancing the participation of women and girls in both education and community activity. It addresses various socio-cultural barriers that hinder gender equality, promoting an educational environment that is sensitive and inclusive to the needs of by raising awareness about harmful gender norms and the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV), the project encourages communities to confront and change these harmful attitudes. Additionally, EMPOWER strengthens psychosocial support services, ensuring that women and girls receive the help they need to face challenges and feel safe in their environments. Ultimately, the project aims to foster a safer and more equitable society where every individual has the opportunity to thrive without the constraints of gender bias, thereby contributing to the overall well-being and development of communities.