South Sudan
Last updated August 26, 2026
Fragile/Conflict-Affected Country: This country is classified as experiencing conflict.
In fragile and conflict-affected settings, severe data gaps, rapid disruption, and uneven reporting can distort index values. These scores should be read as a limited signal, not a complete picture of conditions in the country.
Composite GEFRI Score
Systemwide critical constraints
South Sudan shows critically low readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (1st percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints.
- Global percentile
- 1st
- Global rank
- #177
- Regional rank
- #46
- Viewing data for
Country profile
South Sudan faces substantial readiness constraints across core dimensions. Its weakest results are in Human Capital (43, 16th percentile), Innovation (24, 5th percentile), GEFRI Composite (19, 1st percentile), Infrastructure (13, 1st percentile), School Access and Gender Parity (11, 1st percentile) and Governance (4, 1st percentile). These gaps continue to weigh on overall readiness.
Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. Limited electricity or internet coverage still constrains classrooms, preventing large-scale digital instruction. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.
Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity leans toward boys in secondary pathways, signalling persistent barriers for girls.
Many indicators are imputed, so the profile should be treated as a limited signal rather than a complete measurement.
Key insights
Falls below many peers at the 1st percentile.
Places 177th worldwide.
Holds a regional position of 46th within Sub-Saharan Africa.
Scores range from Human Capital (43.0) to Governance (4.1), reflecting variation across dimensions.
Trails regional peers most clearly in Infrastructure.
Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa
Composite GEFRI Score
| Global rank | Regional rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | 1 | Mauritius | 69.13 |
| 67 | 2 | South Africa | 68.78 |
| — | — | SeychellesMicrostate | 64.14 |
| 86 | 3 | Botswana | 63.01 |
| 97 | 4 | Namibia | 59.03 |
| 100 | 5 | Ghana | 58.00 |
| 115 | 6 | Eswatini | 49.17 |
| 116 | 7 | Cabo Verde | 49.06 |
| 123 | 8 | Rwanda | 44.81 |
| 127 | 9 | Gambia, The | 43.01 |
| 128 | 10 | Kenya | 42.93 |
| 129 | 11 | Senegal | 42.87 |
| 130 | 12 | Gabon | 42.59 |
| 132 | 13 | Equatorial Guinea | 41.26 |
| 133 | 14 | Cote d'Ivoire | 41.19 |
| 139 | 15 | Zambia | 38.11 |
| 140 | 16 | Lesotho | 37.98 |
| — | — | Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate | 37.69 |
| 141 | 17 | Togo | 37.61 |
| 144 | 18 | Benin | 36.56 |
| 145 | 19 | Zimbabwe | 36.55 |
| 146 | 20 | Tanzania | 35.55 |
| 147 | 21 | CameroonFCS | 35.16 |
| 149 | 22 | Mauritania | 34.17 |
| 150 | 23 | Sierra Leone | 33.62 |
| 151 | 24 | ComorosFCS | 33.36 |
| 152 | 25 | Burkina FasoFCS | 32.56 |
| 153 | 26 | Congo, Rep.FCS | 32.39 |
| 154 | 27 | Uganda | 32.27 |
| 155 | 28 | Angola | 32.18 |
| 157 | 29 | NigeriaFCS | 31.67 |
| 158 | 30 | MozambiqueFCS | 30.55 |
| 159 | 31 | MalawiFCS | 30.35 |
| 160 | 32 | EthiopiaFCS | 30.26 |
| 161 | 33 | MaliFCS | 29.69 |
| 162 | 34 | Madagascar | 29.63 |
| 164 | 35 | Guinea | 28.36 |
| 165 | 36 | Guinea-BissauFCS | 28.36 |
| 168 | 37 | Liberia | 24.94 |
| 169 | 38 | NigerFCS | 24.54 |
| 170 | 39 | Burundi | 24.53 |
| 171 | 40 | Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS | 24.39 |
| 172 | 41 | SudanFCS | 23.03 |
| 173 | 42 | EritreaFCS | 21.02 |
| 174 | 43 | ChadFCS | 20.62 |
| 175 | 44 | Central African RepublicFCS | 20.44 |
| 176 | 45 | SomaliaFCS | 20.32 |
| 177 | 46 | South SudanFCS | 18.91 |