Contribute to Upskill 500 Teachers in Juba in 2025

On the 13, 17 and 18 of September 2025, we conducted three one-day workshops at Apex Junior School in Hai Baraka, Buluk A “1” Pre- and Primary School in Hai Buluk and Holyland Academy Nursery and Primary School in Nyakuron. All the workshops were requested by the administrators of the respective schools and approved by the Program Manager at the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan.

All three workshops drew participation of a cumulative total of forty-two (42) administrators and teachers in all three schools, sixteen (16) of whom were female, while the rest were male. Using the ‘learn by doing’ model, every participant actively engaged through question-and-answer sessions, group work and presentations, and quizzes to achieve maximum content retention and knowledge gains.

"This teacher’s workshop was incredibly beneficial and informative in all aspects of teaching and education. It brought about positive changes for both teachers and administrators," remarked the Headteacher of Holyland Academy Nursery and Primary School. 

The workshops achieved several key milestones:

• Forty-two (42) teachers actively participated in all three workshops, gaining valuable knowledge and skills on the South Sudan Teachers’ Code of Conduct 2012, development of Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) Scheme of Work and Lesson Plans, mental health and psychological well-being for educators, and classroom management strategies.
• While we have previously engaged with both Apex Junior School and Holyland Academy Nursery and Primary School, a new partnership was established between EFSS and Buluk A “1” Pre- and Primary School through this inaugural engagement – making them the second government-aided school to work with us.
• All the staff with WhatsApp accounts were introduced to the EFSS Teacher Network WhatsApp group, an educator’s platform for sharing resources, opportunities, and ideas.

During the workshop, a few challenges were encountered:

• Some participants struggled to keep up with the facilitators due to their preference for projected screens or printed notes. However, they were able to grasp key concepts through discussions, experience-sharing sessions, and follow-up questions.
• A language barrier also arose, as two Arabic-speaking teachers, who taught Arabic, had difficulty understanding the workshop mainly conducted in English, impacting their full participation.
• These challenges were managed through interactive learning methods and a bit of translation, ensuring the workshop's goals were met.

Recommendations and Way Forward

• Ongoing discussions, pair work, individual exercises, and experience-sharing sessions will foster peer learning and provide more opportunities for participants to engage actively.
• To address the language barrier, we will plan for translated materials and provide additional support for the Arabic-speaking teachers, ensuring they can fully participate and benefit from the workshop.

Links:

• Statement on the Occasion of World Teachers' Day - 5 October

• Project activity narrative report (PDF)