Police trainees at Rajaf training center.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has launched a literacy class for the Police Service.

The program is expected to benefit more 450 police personnel.

They will undertake a six months course in literacy and numeracy skills.

The Education Program Specialist of the UNESCO, Awuol Edris more than half of the police in the country are illiterate.

He says the class is meant to increase the capacity of the forces in service delivery.

“Slightly bigger than half the number of police in South Sudan needs to be enrolled in a literacy class because they cannot read and write,” Mr Edris stated.

There are about 18,000 police in the country, according to officials.

UNESCO first trained 15 police personnel and 15 Alternative Education Systems teachers in the delivery of functional literacy.

This group will now train the rest of the police force.