Photograph: Annual school sports day in September 2025. Medals and trophies were provided by sponsors in England.
Overview
Juba Diocese Model Secondary School (JDMSS) was founded in 2005 on the Bari site in Juba, which is owned by the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS). JDMSS has grown from a bare patch of land to become the best-performing secondary school in the country, with modern classrooms and facilities, including a boarding house for girls. It now educates over 900 students (50/50 boys/girls) per year, consisting of four-year groups in both arts and sciences, who graduate with their Certificate of Secondary Education qualification. Many students progress to undertake university education in South Sudan or at other universities in Africa or in countries further afield, such as the USA. This gift of secondary education allows the students to gain worthwhile employment and fulfilling careers in South Sudan and in the region, which in turn enables society to function with educated employees with Christian values.
Friends of JDMSS
The Friends of JDMSS is a small group of UK-based volunteers whose purpose is to further the partnership with the school and to facilitate the provision of:
· Bursaries to the poorest students via the sponsorship scheme.
· Education advice.
· Financial advice and support.
· Fundraising and management of the remaining school infrastructure projects.
These provisions depend on a strong link between the Diocese of Salisbury and the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS). This link is formalised via the SSPL, within which the Friends of JDMSS reports to the Education Sub-Committee.
Bursaries
Bursaries are funded by individual sponsors in Salisbury Diocese and further afield who donate £180 per year, which funds two-thirds of a student’s annual school fees. The student’s parents or guardians provide the remainder. This enables some of the poorest children in South Sudan to gain a secondary education.
If anyone would like to sponsor a student, please get in touch with our Sponsorship Secretary: maggiethackway@icloud.com
Infrastructure Projects
An enormous amount has been invested in the school’s infrastructure since its inception. The school is now well-provisioned with classrooms and facilities to support over 900 students. However, the classrooms are often crammed full, and many of the buildings now require refurbishment or repair. New capital projects require external financial support and project management. Currently, a second boarding house for girls is under construction, which will increase the boarding capacity to 120 girls.