Martin Tako, Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction/Photo/Lou Nelson

The national government has turned down calls by some schools in the states and private learning institutions to be exempted from the heatwave-induced school closure, arguing it is for the safety of all citizens, as an activist fears the order will fuel rate of school dropout.

On February 21, the ministries of Environment, Health and Education announced a two-week closure of all schools due to extreme heat wave affecting Juba and other parts of South Sudan.

The education ministry had clarified that the decision was taken after an average of 12 students were collapsing daily due to heat-related illnesses.

However, since the directive came into effect, several state officials and activists have questioned the government for not being specific about the directive, adding some areas in the country’s north are not experiencing the current heat wave.

Justine Woduapai Francis, Executive Director of Blending Community Service Organization (BCSO), said the order might encourage parents who are not concerned about sending their children to school to take advantage.

Mr. Woduapai argued that a thorough study would have been done first to weigh the safety benefits and consequences of the decision.

“The ministry and other stakeholders were supposed first to sit down and do the consultation to the state level, and then the state should be the one to give the report to the national government at the national level,” he said.

“Then from there, they can now issue orders based on the results coming from the state. It’s only some parts of South Sudan, like Juba and maybe another part.”

Mr. Woduapai added that while Juba and some areas face heat conditions, Western Equatoria is not currently experiencing the same situation.

“When they continue to lock down their schools, it demonstrates to some of the parents that there is no need to send their children to school. And it gives a courage to some lazy parents who don’t want to care about their children to send them to school.”

Mr. Woduapai also asserts that Western Equatoria performed poorly during the 2023 Certificate of Primary Education Exams which require concerted effort to improve performance.

He suggested that schools should open in the morning hours and offer learners with take-home assignments to continue learning.

Commenting on the call, Western Equatoria Minister of Education Hon. Grace Apollo dismissed the claim that Western Equatoria is not experiencing the heatwave.

Hon. Apollo said schools in Maridi and other parts of the state have been closed due to severe heatwave. She voiced commitment to implement the national order across her state.

Ms. Apollo said her ministry instructed teachers to issue learners with packages that will allow them continue learning while they are at home.

“Western Equatoria is part of the heat. Because even in Yambio or Maridi, the weather is very hot. We have closed the schools,” she confirmed.

“We cannot refuse to implement what was passed by the national government. So we have closed all the schools. And we told the teachers, if the children are going home, let them carry with them the package for revision and study at home until on 10th of March.”

On his part, the Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction Martin Tako Moyi, said besides the concern of the activist, some state governors and private school owners have written to the ministry to be exempted from the closure.

Mr. Tako said the decision for the closure was reached after thorough consideration on climatic and medical analysis.

He said the fate of opening the institutions solely depends on analysis from the ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Ministry of Health.

“We were advised by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health that the heat waves is dangerous to the children learning. And we witnessed ourselves, many children collapsed in the schools,” he said.

“We depended on the climatic and the medical analysis. And the Honorable Minister of Environment did not do this alone. She went and sought the permission of the President.”

“We had no choice except to implement by closing all the schools in South Sudan. For two weeks, we may not open unless we are advised by our colleagues in the two ministries.”

South Sudan Meteorological Service (SSMS) recently issued a warning for extreme heat stress through the end of February, with temperatures expected to rise to 45°Celsius in the afternoon.

IGAD Meteorological and Climate Prediction Centre also warned that South Sudan would experience extreme weather conditions over the next two months, including persistent high temperatures and rainfall variations in different parts of the country.

It is the second time South Sudan has closed schools over extreme heat stress, which has been linked to the impact of climate change.

In March 2024, the national government directed the closure of all schools after the Ministry of Environment and Forestry issued an extreme heat advisory – forecasting temperatures varying from 41 to 45 degrees Celsius for weeks.

Many schools in the country are made of makeshift shelters and even the concrete structures do not have air conditioning system.