Languages in South Sudan

Language learning in South Sudan takes place through formal schools, non-formal education, community practice and digital or radio-based programs. Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande and many other indigenous languages support early learning, family communication and community participation. Juba Arabic functions as a widely used lingua franca, meaning a shared language between people with different first languages. English is used in government, formal education and professional work. In early childhood education and Primary 1 to Primary 3, an indigenous language is intended to serve as the teaching language while English is taught alongside it. From Primary 4 to Primary 8, English becomes the teaching language and the indigenous language remains a subject. Secondary education and adult education use English. Arabic, French and Kiswahili may be taught as foreign languages from Primary 5 through Secondary 2 and can continue in Secondary 3 and Secondary 4. Public schools are also expected to support Universal Sign Language and Braille where needed. Children and young people who are out of school, over-age or displaced can use the Alternative Education System, known as AES. Its Accelerated Learning Program compresses eight years of primary content into four years and can lead to the Primary Leaving Examination and secondary education. The Pastoralist Education Program uses mobile or seasonal learning locations, often for about three to four months according to grazing patterns. Adult learners can use the Basic Adult Literacy and Lifelong Learning Program, usually lasting about four years, or the Functional Adult Literacy Program for practical reading, writing, numeracy and community needs. Short Intensive English Courses support youth, adults, teachers, civil servants, non-English speakers and some Sudanese returnees. The Ministry of General Education and Instruction, or MoGEI, sets national policy, standards, registration and inspection requirements. State Ministries of Education implement them, while county, payam and boma administrations support local monitoring. The Directorate of Alternative Education System, the Directorate of National and Foreign Languages, the National Curriculum and Textbook Development Centre and the National Foreign Language Centre develop routes, curricula, orthographies and materials. An expansion of the National and Foreign Languages Centre in Maridi is planned. NGOs, community-based organizations, churches and private partners deliver about one third of AES activities in coordination with the AES Directorate. Primary education and basic adult education are legally free, and AES tuition and learning materials are free; AES does not require a uniform. Intensive English Course fees and schedules vary by provider and are not available as a national figure. British Council English Online offers web and mobile lessons, including 55-minute group or private classes, two free trial group classes or one free private lesson, followed by a paid subscription. Internet access, electricity, devices and data costs limit digital reach. South Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction uses radio, MP3 files and local stations for lower-primary learning, youth and adult learning and teacher upgrading. Radio Based Education for All provides additional youth and adult learning support. South Sudan has school completion examinations administered by the National Examination Council, including the Primary Leaving Examination and the Unified South Sudan Secondary School Certificate. The available evidence does not show a nationally standardized independent language-proficiency examination with a CEFR-type certificate. The British Council can issue an English Online certificate of achievement, but this is a provider certificate. IELTS is not administered through the British Council office in South Sudan; registration requires an external test location in Uganda, Kenya or Sudan, with travel and examination costs. Implementation remains uneven. English-fluent teachers are scarce, curriculum and materials for National Languages, AES and early childhood education are incomplete, and Arabic remains dominant in parts of the northern states despite the national policy direction. Under the 2023-2027 education plan, materials for seven additional languages are planned, with five translators or writers assigned to each, but printing and distribution costs have not been established. In practice, language choices depend on the state, security, displacement, teacher and material availability, local language needs and whether learning takes place in a fixed or mobile centre. English is most useful for formal education and government work, while Juba Arabic and local languages remain central to community reach and everyday services.