Teacher training

The community at the Solidarity Teacher Training College (STTC) in Yambio, the capital of the State of Western Equatoria, is international and inter-congregational, composed of religious men and women from different countries. All community members are tutored at the College and are accompanied by lay volunteers including tutors from South Sudan and other African countries.
The STTC offers several courses in tune with the needs of the student-teachers.
The Pre-service course is for young students who aspire to become primary school teachers. It is a two-year course at the College that offers accommodation in a dormitory and dining facilities, as well as a laundry and various recreational areas. The tutors’ Community House and the College Chapel are located within the complex, which is surrounded by a security wall with a gate guard.
South Sudan’s teacher training programme requires the teaching of the following subjects: professional studies, English, mathematics, science, social studies, Christian religious education, physical and health education, art and music.

The students follow a two-year study programme (in accordance with the New National Curriculum in force from 2020) that includes examinations every semester and culminates in a final examination for a nationally recognised primary school teaching certificate. Graduates will then do a two-month internship in one of the many primary schools around Yambio.
Extra-curricular activities include workshops in music, art, gardening and environmental protection, recycling, sports activities and workshops on other specific topics. In addition, a wide selection of study and teaching books is available to help students with their assignments in tune with the specific requirements of each course.
Currently 43% of the total number of students attending courses at the college are women, which is quite a high percentage for an institution that aspires to reach 50 per cent of its enrolment of female students, with the growing awareness in the country of the vital importance of girls’ education.

The In-Service course is aimed at teachers who are already employed in primary schools in the country but without a formally recognised qualification. As of August 2022, an In-Service programme mode has been launched that takes place at the College during weekends: teachers already teaching in schools can update and certify their knowledge by acquiring qualified teacher status, with a 2-year course at the STTC on Fridays and Saturdays (with some classes during school holidays). This is a non-residential course, with only breakfast and lunch at the College, but the study materials are the same for everyone.
The STTC student community is a microcosm of the nation that is South Sudan, as students come from all regions of the country and the Nuba Mountains. As such, the STTC works hard to build relationships of knowledge and peaceful coexistence between the different tribal groups within the college. As such, the international tutor community is committed to promoting a positive model of unity, collaboration and mutual enrichment.

To date, 469 primary school teachers have graduated from the Pre-service programme. 77% of these graduates are currently employed in the education sector. Many of them have returned to serve in their home communities.
Solidarity with South Sudan also sponsors selected STTC graduates to study at a university in Kenya and obtain a bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of their studies, these graduates return to Yambio and become mentors themselves at STTC for at least four years.
Finally, a new one-year Diploma programme was launched in July 2022, which further elevates the qualification of the STTC degree and welcomes both STTC graduates and tutors from other training institutions with equivalent certification. In June 2023, the first group of 15 students took their final examinations and were awarded the Diploma.

Download the STTC project infographic HERE!