South Sudan Closes Schools Amid Preparation for Severe Heat Wave
South Sudan’s government has announced the closure of all schools starting Monday in anticipation of an upcoming wave of extreme heat expected to endure for two weeks.
In a statement issued late Saturday, the health and education ministries advised parents to keep all children indoors as temperatures are forecasted to reach as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit). They emphasized that any school found open during this period would risk losing its registration, although they did not specify the duration of the school closures.
The ministries assured the public that they would continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates accordingly.
Peter Garang, a resident of the capital city, Juba, expressed support for the decision, suggesting that schools should have access to electricity to facilitate the installation of air conditioning units.
South Sudan, being one of the world’s youngest nations, is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change, with heatwaves being common but rarely surpassing 40 degrees Celsius. The country has also been plagued by civil conflict, exacerbating its challenges, alongside recurrent droughts and flooding, which have further strained living conditions for its residents.
According to the latest country brief from the World Food Program, South Sudan continues to grapple with a severe humanitarian crisis driven by various factors, including violence, economic instability, climate change, and an influx of refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan. The report highlighted that in January 2024 alone, 818,000 vulnerable individuals received food and cash-based assistance.
