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by Emmanuel Garjiek On March 24, 2026
South Sudan began distributing over 1.1 million textbooks to primary schools across the country, supported by **China and UNICEF. The books—covering science, mathematics, and English—are being delivered to schools in Lakes, Western Bahr El Ghazal, Unity State, and the Abyei Administrative Area, following earlier shipments to Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Ruweng, and Pibor.
Education Minister Kuyok Abol Kuyok hailed the initiative as a milestone in implementing the new national curriculum, noting that it also involves textbook revision, teacher training, and quality assurance. Printed by the Shanghai Educational Publishing House under Phase II of the China-aided Technical Cooperation Project, the textbooks were reviewed by South Sudanese educators for curriculum relevance. UNICEF, through the *Global Partnership for Education*, is handling transport and logistics.
UNICEF Representative Noala Skinner emphasized the importance of safe delivery: “These textbooks need to get into the hands of children. Safe and unhindered access across all regions is essential.” Chinese Ambassador Ma Qiang described the rollout as a landmark in bilateral cooperation, highlighting that earlier phases provided millions of textbooks, trained over 920 teachers in China, and reached nearly 150,000 students.
