What to prioritize when everything is a priority? Crisis-sensitive education sector planning in South Sudan

This case study outlines the process of developing an education sector analysis (ESA) and education sector plan (ESP) in risk-prone contexts, with an aim to illustrate the transformational potential of education through long-term prevention measures and preparedness planning.

The study examines the ESA/ESP development process used in South Sudan – offering insights into challenges and enabling factors – and concludes with a set of key lessons learned. Interviews conducted for the study with representatives from the MoEST, partner organizations and donors found that the ESA/ESP process was seen within the country as an important way to secure funding for education, guide a common vision for education, and improve the coordination of education actors. 

The following set of lessons learned emerged from the process in South Sudan:

• Government leadership and the strong participation of national authorities reinforce ownership and alignment of partners’ efforts.
• Developing capacities for crisis-sensitive education sector planning is a long process that may ultimately be undermined by the crisis itself.
• The planning process can contribute to fostering social cohesion.
• There is a need to build upon the complementarity of different organizations and ensure strong coordination, so as to effectively support ministries of education to develop plans that are crisis-sensitive.