South Sudan has closed all schools for two weeks starting February 21, 2025, due to an extreme heatwave that has caused students to collapse.

Abraham Kuol Nyuon from the University of Juba emphasized the need for a localized school calendar based on weather conditions across South Sudan's ten states.

Deputy Education Minister Martin Tako Moi reported that an average of 12 students are collapsing daily in Juba city because of the heat.

Environment Minister Josephine Napwon Cosmos has warned residents to stay indoors and hydrate as temperatures could soar to 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

Napwon suggested that government employees work in shifts to mitigate the risk of heat-related illnesses.

South Sudan's fragile health system, influenced by political instability, complicates responses to such crises, with nearly 400,000 fatalities recorded during conflicts between 2013 and 2018.

Education advocates are pushing for a revision of the school calendar to close schools during the hottest months of February and March and reopen in April.

Most schools in South Sudan lack adequate infrastructure, often constructed from makeshift materials and lacking electricity for cooling systems.

The civil society group Integrity South Sudan criticized the government for inadequate planning, stating that school closures during heatwaves reflect a failure to prioritize education.

The country's elections, initially scheduled for 2024, have been postponed for two years due to funding issues, adding to the challenges faced by the government.

This closure marks the second instance of schools shutting down in February and March due to heat in recent years.

An economic crisis has emerged following interruptions in oil exports due to damage to a major pipeline in neighboring Sudan, although repairs have since been made.