The government of South Sudan has decided to close all schools beginning on Monday in anticipation of a two-week heat wave.
In a statement released late on Saturday, the health and education ministries urged parents to keep all of their children inside because temperatures are predicted to soar to 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit).
Although they did not say how long the schools would be closed, they did threaten to cancel the registration of any school found to be open during that period.
The ministries said they “will continue to monitor the situation and inform the public accordingly.”
Peter Garang, a resident who lives in the capital, Juba, welcomed the decision. He said that “schools should be connected to the electricity grid” to enable the installation of air conditioners.
With frequent heatwaves but infrequent highs of 40C, South Sudan, one of the youngest countries in the world, is especially vulnerable to climate change. Living conditions for citizens of the East African nation have been difficult due to civil conflict, drought, and flooding.
South Sudan “continues to face a dire humanitarian crisis” as a result of violence, economic instability, climate change, and an influx of people fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Sudan, according to the World Food Program’s most recent country brief. In January 2024, food and cash-based transfers were provided to 818,000 vulnerable individuals, according to the statement.