South Sudan launches $14.5M PlayMatters education program

South Sudan’s Ministry of General Education and Instruction, together with the LEGO Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation and a consortium of NGOs, launched the four‑year PlayMatters programme in Juba on 5 August 2026. The $14.5 million initiative, led by the International Rescue Committee with Plan International and War Child Alliance, will operate in 420 schools across 12 counties in seven states, aiming to reach more than 160,000 children aged 3‑12, as well as teachers, caregivers and community leaders.

The programme uses play‑based teaching and psychosocial support to improve foundational literacy and numeracy in a context where over 2.8 million school‑age children are out of school. Officials said the project will be integrated into teacher‑training institutions and the national professional‑development system so that the approach can be sustained after donor funding ends.