On July 9, after 21 years of civil war, South Sudan claimed its independence. Although this is great news for the Southern Sudanese, it comes with the problems of having to re-start the development of what is now a separate and new country.

One of these problems is how to secure access to education. Just over a quarter of the population (27 percent) is literate and 37 percent over the age of six have never attended school.

What passes for school in South Sudan are informal, outdoor meetings with a tree providing shade for a lone teacher with a tablet chalkboard. The student body is a medley of children from different communities, some walking for miles just so they can get to school. The homes of the students vary, which also poses a problem. The classes are generally taught in English, but some of the students are coming from French-speaking states, and others have previously been taught only in Arabic.

The poor infrastructure of the new state only adds to educational woes. In the whole of South Sudan there are only 50 kilometers of paved roads that, during the rainy season, are rendered impassable. Also, because of the area’s history of conflict, there are still landmines and undetonated explosives strewn about at random, making travel and construction hazardous. The presence of so much concealed ordinance is especially dangerous considering the large amount of refugees pouring back into the region with the hopes of a better life.

Another obstacle facing the rise of the education system in South Sudan is the lack of teachers. In 2009, there were 129 students per classroom and 52 students per teacher. Educators in North Sudan have little desire to move to South Sudan, as the country’s budget doesn’t include funding for universities or educators. As for the teachers in South Sudan, most are unpaid volunteers with limited education, rarely extending beyond the high school level.

There is also a gender disparity in the South among the children and adults who are getting educated. Of all the children who are lucky enough to get an education at all, the large majority is male. Of those females enrolled, less than 1 percent complete secondary school. And of the teachers that teach at these schools, 14 percent of them are women, showing that educational disparities along gender lines does not only occur among the young.

One of the reasons there is low school attendance for girls is because the girls are spending hours grinding corn by hand. Another reason is that many communities have a negative attitude towards females getting educated.

While the problems facing South Sudan are various and multifaceted, there are practical solutions.

First, there needs to be more investment in infrastructure such as roads, schools and hospitals. It would also be beneficial if part of the educational budget were used for gender issue training. The good news is that many of the returning refugees are educated, and are returning to South Sudan with a variety of new skills and attitudes.

But the worst is not over yet. These children and the people of this country are in need of buildings with stable electricity and Internet connection. They need buildings for their schools so that when it rains, classes don’t have to be cancelled and, most importantly, females should not be denied their right to what limited education is available.

Being educated on what is happening to others around the world is the first step to making a difference.

Stephanie Ambroise is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at [email protected].