The deteriorating economic situation in the country denies children access to education.
South Sudan has the highest proportion of out-of-school children in the world. Its prolonged civil war has denied nearly two million children access to education.
Independent since 2011, the world's newest country was plunged into civil war two years later. President Salva Kiir accused his rival and former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup against him in 2013.
The devastating civil war has weakened the economy and triggered a food security crisis in the country. In February, the country's government declared famine in two counties of South Sudan. According to UNICEF, around 350,000 children under five are suffering from severe malnutrition in the country.
"We are trying our very best to create additional learning spaces for 1.8 million children who are out of school to be able to go to school. And this is why we made school attendance free and compulsory," education minister Deng Deng Hoc said.
However, with a weakening economy, it is yet to be seen if the government can keep this promise.
TRT World 's Fidelis Mbah has more from South Sudan's capital Juba.
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