Exploring the motivation of primary school teachers in rural South Sudan: approaches and theorisation
“What surprises me…in terms of motivation…they [teachers] go to school and spend all day all week and then at the end of the month they get no pay. So, you ask them…why do you stay? They say…they really want children to grow up learning. They believe in education. It is actually amazing.” (Research participant 9.)
We are delighted to announce that in September 2025, Victoria Pendry, CEO of The Curriculum Foundation, has been awarded a Doctorate in Education by the UCL Institute of Education, following a six-year study exploring teacher motivation in rural South Sudan.
Conducted in close partnership with South Sudanese colleagues and grounded in multilingual teacher narratives, the research reframes motivation as culture and context-embedded. It shows how teachers’ commitment is shaped not only by material conditions, but by professional meaning, community relationships, and wider visions of education’s role in cohesion, recovery, and development.
Full Thesis: FINAL Thesis Victoria Pendry IoE UCL EdD Teacher Motivation South Sudan
The header image for this article shows the swampy region of the Sudd, Bor, South Sudan. In her thesis, Victoria explains:
The interconnected challenges, fragile and ever-changing environment that South Sudanese teachers find themselves within could easily be represented by a swamp such as this. Schön (1983), a philosopher who theorised reflective practice ‘in-action’, promotes “Swampy lowlands to be where there are the problems of greatest human concern” (p.42), an analogy that seems fitting for a study taking place so close to the Sudd region where high quality education may seem unachievable. Schön suggests that it would be easier to step out and stand back onto the higher ground (outside of South Sudan or indeed, within urban settings within South Sudan) to seek apparently quick-fix solutions, but that these solutions lack contextual sensitivity resulting from a limited experience of the complexity/swampiness of the problem itself. In my study therefore, I have chosen to stand within the myriads of possibilities in the lower land, whilst learning with and through school communities who reside there. The expectation is that this approach will lead to a deeper understanding of why teachers choose to become a teacher and to remain in the profession and that a deeper understanding will in turn lead to a contextually sensitive local theorisation of teacher motivation. (p. 26)
Following the award, Victoria has been deeply honoured to receive messages from South Sudanese education partners spanning university leadership, government, and curriculum colleagues. They welcome the research as both timely and practical. Several emphasised its value for informing policy and strengthening support for teachers in rural communities.
Dear Dr Vikki,
Many congratulations for successfully completing your doctorate on this timely topic.
Your thesis is not only a contribution to knowledge, but it has considerable implications for informing educational policy and practice in South Sudan. We look forward to your presentation of the study’s key findings.
Sincerely
Dr. Kuyok Abol Kuyok (Minister of General Education and Instruction, South Sudan)
Dear Vikki,
First of all, congratulation upon the completion of your thesis on this inspiring topic. This a very good literature for us in education department and the country at large. We look forward to hearing from you about the discussion your thesis.
Thank you
Dr. Otim Gama (Head of Education, Juba University)
Dear Dr. Vikki Pendry,
I wanted to take a moment to convey my heartfelt congrats on the completion of your thesis. This research is crucial for creating a learning environment that genuinely addresses the unique challenges faced by teachers in South Sudan’s rural areas.
Once again, congratulations on this significant milestone! Wishing you all the best as you take the next steps in your career and continue to impact education positively.
Best wishes,
Bullen Daniel (Assistant Director of Curriculum, MoGEISS)
The Research Team
Left to right: Lily Ladu (co-researcher), Prof. Sibrino Barnaba Forojalla (Juba University), Director John Sebit (MoGEISS), Victoria Pendry, Faith Poni (co-researcher).
Returning to schools to share findings from the research, February 2024.
