The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization says more than half of the teachers in the country are not qualified for their jobs.

UNESCO Country Representative Salah Khaled says there about 33,000 teachers countrywide.

Mr Khaled said UNESCO is renewing commitment to work together with the Ministry of Education to improve the quality of teachers.

Mr Khaled says they are going to train and recruit more female teachers to serve as role models for school girls.

Statistics show that only 18% of teachers in South Sudan are female. He spoke to Eye Radio today on the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day.

South Sudan has joined the rest of the world in celebrating the World’s Teachers Day under the theme, “Empowering Teachers, Building Sustainable Societies”.

Meanwhile, the ministry of education has launched the South Sudan Education sector analysis and education sector plan.

The purpose of the plan is to ensure that the education system have the capacity and integrity to deliver quality education for all.

At the launch in Juba today, the undersecretary in the ministry, Michael Lopuke, called for more investment in the education sector from both the government and the international community.

“How would you attain the quality of teachers if our investment right from the wartime even in post conflict time, we never thought of investing in teacher’s education?” Mr Lopuke said.

(Additional information by Mayen Deng)