SSPDF general calls on soldiers to enhance their careers through education

By Papa Goch Biar Mawien

Atem Madut Yaak, a 57- year- old Brigadier General in the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) who graduated last week from the University of Juba has urged other officers to pursue education in order to enhance their military careers.

“Education is very important to all of us, without education we cannot be able to build the nation, so education is very important if we are to achieve development in our country,” said Madut who graduated witha masters’ degree in business and management in an interview in Juba on Monday.

 Madut who works in the directorate of officers affairs in the Bilpham military headquarter joined liberation struggle in 1984 aged 21 in Wau.

He is among a few breed of senior and junior military officers who have continued to enhance their professional careers through pursuit of advanced education, as the government works to professionalize the security sector.  

“This is the right time for those of us who liberated this country to go back to school and acquire knowledge that can transform our country,” said Madut.

Madut appealed to his colleagues in the military not to be hesitant to enroll for further education, adding that it will not only boost their careers in the military but also prepare them for life outside military service.

“Let’s try to educate ourselves because when we educate ourselves we will be able to exploit our own resources, we are currently depending on foreigners to extract our resources such as gold and oil. When we educate ourselves we will be able to these things by ourselves,” he said.