Government asked to support children of soldiers to access education in remote areas

By Simon Deng

The transitional government of national unity has been asked to support children of soldiers’ deployed far flung areas to access education.

Kevin Abalo John, the Executive Director for Resilience Organization, on Tuesday appealed to the Minister of General Education and Instruction Awut Deng Acuil to extend schools in remote areas where some of the soldiers are deployed so that their children don’t miss out on education.

“Children are the future of South Sudan, the future lies in the hands of children and these children lack education, these children lack basic learning yet they have right to education as stipulated in the constitution of South Sudan,” Abalo told The Dawn in an interview in Juba.

 Abalo said that the constitution of South Sudan guarantees the right to education for every child.

“Children living in military barracks along Juba-Nimule road are being denied the right to education, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction has obligation to take education to these children who are the future of South Sudan,” she disclosed.

In February 2023, President Salva Kiir Mayardit directed the Ministry of General education and Instruction to ensure that primary and secondary education is free in all public schools across the country.

In November 2023, the Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction, Martin Tako Moyi revealed that 2.8 million children are out of school in South Sudan.