Parliamentary action on education: Improving access to school in rural South Sudan

The latest school built in May 2025 by Samuel B. Lotti MP in Losok village, Torit County for children aged 4 to 13 years old.

• This case study from Samuel Buhori Lotti MP in South Sudan is part of a campaign profiling parliamentary action on education as part of World Parliament Day, held every year on 30th June.

• This year, on Monday 30th June, IPNEd is hosting an online event to hear from members of parliament who are taking action to ensure more children are in school and receiving a quality education. You can register here.

• Samuel Buhori Lotti is an MP for Torit County in rural South Sudan. He is working to improve access to education for children in his constituency.  

More than 2.8 million children, or over 70 per cent, are out of school in South Sudan.

Access to quality education is essential for children to learn and fulfil their potential. It allows them to stay in school, earn better salaries, and contribute to their nation’s human capital and economic prosperity. 

For Samuel Buhori Lotti, MP for Torit County in Eastern Equatoria State of South Sudan, the reality for many children in his rural constituency is that schools are hard to get to.

As a member of parliament, Samuel is taking action to change this reality and ensure that all children can access school. 

Lowoi Payam - an area in his constituency of fourteen villages - exemplifies one of many areas across the country with very few to no essential services like health centres, schools and other services necessary for human development. 

Before Samuel was an MP, this 48-square-kilometre area had only one known and functional primary school, constructed in 2009 by an NGO called Caritas.

The Caritas school was constructed after a peace agreement was signed between the warring groups in the longest civil war in Sudan, spanning more than 21 years. Two generations in these villages have gone without formal education, making this school a treasured place in the community.

However, the school can only serve three nearby villages of the 70,000 population. 

The other eleven villages are located between 5 to 17 kilometers apart, making it difficult for other young children in the constituency to get to school.

Samuel has prioritised building more schools and hiring more teachers to enable children to access school and learn. 

In some villages, primary schools operate under trees with minimal resources. This school in Techak (pictured below) has been operational for three years.

Samuel B. Lotti MP is working to make sure schools have a roof so students can continue to learn, even when it rains. This is Techak primary school, which has been operating under the trees for over 3 years.

“During the rainy season, it is difficult for students to continue to go to school as there is not enough cover,” shared Samuel, “Building a school with a roof is an important step to make sure children can continue to learn no matter what the weather is like.”

So far in 2025, there has been an increased drive to construct two new schools using locally sourced materials. 

Most recently, a primary school for children aged between 4 and 13 years old was built in Losok village, which now has 230 students enrolled. At least 170 of these students are starting school for the first time in their lives. 

With more schools and students, Samuel has been working to recruit more teachers in the area. This successful drive has resulted in 21 volunteer teachers and 4 government teachers spread across the 4 schools. 

“With an increasing number of students in school, we must recruit more teachers to ensure children are not only in school, but also learning. Teachers are at the heart of education,” shared Samuel.

Samuel continues to advocate for the students in his constituency. He aims to construct at least 2 more schools with 4 classrooms in 3 locations (a total of 6 more schools) to improve access to education for children aged 4 to 15 years old. 

Parliamentary action, as demonstrated by Samuel, is vital to improving access to education in rural South Sudan and ensuring that no child is left behind in the country’s path towards progress and prosperity.

There are 21 volunteer teachers and 2 government-trained teachers working in Torit County.