A standard bi-weekly team meeting at the Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP) evolved into an inspiring global webinar. The session explored South Sudan disability data reform under the title “From Invisibility to Impact: Reforming Disability Data Systems within EMIS.” Marie Schoeman, her program and technical colleagues, and representatives from South Sudan’s Ministry of Education made this possible through their extraordinary dedication.
CIP originally invited the team to share internal research. Their work was so transformative that CIP decided to open the session to a wider audience interested in inclusive education. The webinar explored how South Sudan is successfully reforming its education data systems, with inclusion as a guiding light.
What Is the GESS Programme?
The session opened with Marie Schoeman, Disability Inclusion Technical Advisor, who provided a short overview of the Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) program. She explained that the program reaches 2.6 million girls across 4,600 schools. Its second phase started in 2019 and specifically elevated disability to a cross-cutting issue. The GESS programme is funded by UKAID and co-funded by the Governments of Sweden and Norway, Canada, the European Union, and previously USAID.
A standout finding of her presentation was the direct impact of CIP’s informative materials. She noted that CIP’s videos on the “extra costs of disability” played a pivotal role. They helped convince the South Sudanese government to extend cash transfers to boys with disabilities. Previously, only girls received these transfers. Following this policy shift, thousands of boys with disabilities now also receive financial support to stay in school.
How Did South Sudan Move from Paper to Digital Data?
Mr. Girr Mabior represented the Ministry of General Education and Instruction. As Deputy-Director of South Sudan’s Education Management Information Systems (EMIS), he reflected on the early hurdles of data collection. These included poor school-level record-keeping, inconsistencies across data sources, and limited awareness among teachers about disability data collection. He described how the Ministry shifted from slow, paper-based systems to electronic data collection. It also began training teachers to collect data appropriately.
Rachel Gondwe, Disability Technical Advisor, then detailed the technical transition to the Washington Group Questions (WGQs). Previously, there was very little South Sudan disability data on the enrollment of children with disabilities. She shared the staggering result of shifting from subjective teacher assessments to these functional questions. In a single year, the number of identified children with disabilities increased from 6,000 to 41,000. This number dropped again between 2020 and 2025 because of improved data validation interventions. However, it still stands at more than 24,000, a significant achievement for the country.
How Is the Data Used?
This data now informs the cash transfer program in practical ways. The program verifies learners with disabilities to ensure they receive incentives to stay in school. In 2024, the transfers also began reaching boys with disabilities. The data also informs capitation grants. These grants provide funds to primary and secondary schools based on the number of enrolled students. Specific codes identify the proportion of funds allocated to disability inclusion concessions. For the first time, schools have started taking ownership of inclusive education. They now plan how to support their enrolled learners with disabilities.
At the national level, the numbers inform the National Examinations Council in identifying the accommodations students may need during exams. The data also helps the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, whose remit includes issues related to persons with disabilities, to initiate referral processes for support services.
What Technology Powers the Reform?
Data Lead Anthony Otieno presented the technological backbone of these reforms. He demonstrated the bespoke Schools’ Attendance Monitoring System (SAMS) mobile application for education data collection. He highlighted the app’s “offline-first” design. Officials can collect data in remote areas without internet access and sync it later. This breakthrough reduced data turnaround time to just 48 hours. Another advancement is that the system now tracks multiple disabilities and specific budget codes. This ensures a clear provision for inclusive education in the Ministry budget.
Why Does This Data Matter on the Ground?
The presentation concluded with the powerful testimony of Ben Lou Poggo, Director for Inclusive Education, who is himself visually impaired. He explained that earlier data systems captured mainly visible disabilities, leaving many children with non-visible disabilities unidentified and without support, which reinforced stigmatizing narratives around the inclusion of learners with ‘behavioral challenges’ in general education classrooms. With the introduction of the Washington Group Questions, the Ministry now has clearer data on a broader array of learners with disabilities, helping officials plan better and identify needs, such as how many students may require Braille or large-print materials. As Poggo noted, this shift in data has strengthened the government’s commitment to ensuring that “nobody is left behind.”
This session proved that even in challenging contexts, data can be a tool for dignity and inclusion. As CIP CEO Daniel Mont concluded, it is inspiring to see data “actually being used and having an impact on students’ lives.”
We invite you to watch the full video of this webinar to witness the live demonstration of the data platforms and hear the full story of South Sudan’s journey from invisibility to impact.
