South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI), with support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), has officially launched a four-year project aimed at transforming basic education in the country.
Kuyok Abol Kuyok, the Minister of General Education and Instruction, said that the project will enhance basic education and increase access to quality, inclusive education in both formal and non-formal settings.
“The Government of South Sudan is fully committed to ensuring that all children can obtain a quality education, this funding from GPE will provide life-saving educational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of crisis-affected girls and boys across the country “ Kuyok remarked in a statement on Wednesday.
Kuyok revealed that the programme will directly benefit over 300,000 learners and reach an additional 600,000 indirectly across 20 counties, including some of the most affected areas in Jonglei, Lakes, and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
Christopher Nyamandi, the Country Director for Save the Children, noted that the education initiative will develop and ensure safe, inclusive access to quality education for excluded children in the country.
Nyamandi explained that the government-led initiative harmonises three key GPE funding streams: the System Transformation Grant (STG), the Girls’ Education Accelerator (GEA), and the System Capacity Grant (SCG).
“With GPE support, we will reach the most excluded children, ensuring safe, inclusive access to quality education, even in the face of climate shocks and conflict. This is an investment in children’s futures and in South Sudan’s peace and prosperity,” Nyamandi stated.
Through the System Transformation Grant, 250,000 children, half of whom are girls, will receive support, including 3,000 children with disabilities and 1,120 from pastoralist communities. Additionally, 7,300 teachers will also benefit from the programme.
The Girls’ Education Accelerator (GEA) will assist 33,000 girls, 2,000 children with disabilities, 1,650 teachers, and 29,500 boys through special programmes such as Accelerated Learning and sexuality education.
Obia Achieng, the Acting Country Representative for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), expressed enthusiasm for the programme, stating it will expand access to quality, inclusive education and improve learning outcomes for children.
“UNICEF is excited to partner with GPE and other stakeholders to bring about this significant change for the boys and girls of South Sudan. Boys, and especially girls, have been shortchanged for too long, with no clear path to education,” Achieng said.
The $58 million programme, implemented by MoGEI in partnership with UNICEF and Save the Children, comes at a critical time when more than 2.8 million school-age children, over 70 per cent, are currently out of school.
