More than 2 million young people in South Sudan are without education, according to the Ministry of Education.

South Sudan is celebrating the World Literacy Day today, under the theme: “literacy and sustainable development”.

The day is celebrated annually on the 8^th of September.  South Sudan did not celebrate the event on the same day. It’s not clear why.

The director general for alternative education in the ministry of education, Kuol Atem Bol, told Eye Radio’s Dawn show that the youth who are the backbone of the country need vocational training.

“If we give them only two-year education, a simple vocational training, they will be able to help themselves and help the country,” said Mr Bol.

“Most of them can be builders, electricians and they can help develop this country.”

According to UNESCO, South Sudan is amongst the countries with the highest rate of illiteracy in the world.

Women represent two-third of all illiterate adults globally.

Extremely low literacy rates are focused in three regions: South Asia, West Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.