Floods in Bor Town, Jonglei, South Sudan, August 2020 | Credit | Komma Godfrey/UNHCR

Schools in flood-affected areas of Jonglei state may not reopen in May, the acting State Director-General of the Ministry of General Education has said.

This is despite the Ministry of General Education announcing last week that schools will be reopened next month under strict coronavirus guidelines.

John Guot Dau says learning materials and school structures of more than 50 schools have been destroyed by last year’s flooding in Jonglei State.

“In those areas that are affected, classrooms, latrines plus other buildings of the schools have been completely destroyed by floods because the floods had submerged the buildings and that means the buildings collapsed,” Mr. Guot said on Thursday, adding that the most affected areas are northern counties of Bor, Twic East, Duk, Uror, and Akobo.

“The learning process may be affected because teaching materials are no longer there…the IDPs ran out of the place to save their lives instead of materials.”

Jonglei state has been devastated by flash floods that started in May last year.

The State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission says more than 340,000 people from its nine counties have been displaced by the persistent flooding.

Across the country, last year’s floods caused by heavy rains have affected more than a million people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.