JUBA, July 2 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Wednesday launched a four-year project to expand access to quality, inclusive education and improve learning outcomes for children, especially girls and marginalized groups.

The project, funded with 58 million U.S. dollars from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), will be implemented by the government, the United Nations, and aid agencies.

Minister of General Education and Instruction Kuyok Abol Kuyok said the funding will provide life-saving educational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of crisis-affected girls and boys across the country, calling on global leaders to scale up support to sustain this momentum.

"The government of South Sudan is fully committed to ensuring that all children can obtain a quality education," Kuyok said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The project came at a time when more than 2.8 million school-age children are currently out of school. It is expected to directly benefit over 300,000 learners and reach an additional 600,000 indirectly across 20 counties, including some of the most affected areas such as Jonglei, Lakes, and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

Christopher Nyamandi, country director for Save the Children in South Sudan, noted that this funding will enable them to reach the most excluded children, ensuring safe, inclusive access to quality education, even in the face of climate shocks and conflict. ■