South Sudan Launches Strategy For Girl-Child Education

By Jok P Mayom

JUBA, 08 Aug 2015 [Gurtong]-The Strategy supported by the United Nation Children Funds (UNICEF) and partners in developing the strategy was launched at Gudele East Primary School in Juba. 

The launch of the strategy, which aims to eliminate institutional and cultural barriers to the advancement of girls’ education, took place on national Girls’ Education Day, under the theme: ‘Empowering Girls through Education.’

Hon. Bol Makueng Yol, the Deputy Minister of Education Science and Technology while speaking during the launch congratulated the people of South Sudan for the launch of the document on behalf of the Minister.

“I now announce that this document has been launched and is adopted today as the document of the government of South Sudan” Bol announce on Friday.

Bol said his Ministry is committed to make sure all barriers of girls’ educations are broken and all children have access to education.

He said the Ministry of Education will not allow vices that do not allow girls to go to school citing things to do with cultural barriers.

“The Ministry of Education that is leading this fight has developed deterrence policies against any barriers that will again obstruct the girls’ education” Bol said.

“We have all the policies in place that will be detrimental to obstructers those who will be stop girls education” he added.

“We are celebrating girls’ education today and we have learnt a lot even from the children and what we are going to do is that, it is the role of us to support them” he said.

Viana Kakuli Aggrey, Advisor in the Ministry of Education on her part said, “I am very happy that this document has now seen the light that we are launching.”

“The government of South Sudan is very kin about Girls Child Education because there is something called the 25% affirmative action of the government of South Sudan” said Kakuli.

“This affirmative action’s, the representation will not be another girl in the village. The girls need to be educated so that they have the capacity of the percentage” she said.

Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Country Representative outlined some barriers of girl child education including; safety-related issues, financial constraints, institutional and cultural barriers, pressure for early marriage, sexual harassment, and violence in and out of educational settings.           

“The goal of the Girls’ Education Strategy is to tear down the walls which are preventing girls from realizing their true potential,” he said.

  “This strategy offers the best opportunity for creating gender equality in the education system.” Veitch underscored.   He said there are pervasive gender disparities in education in South Sudan. For every 10 boys enrolled in primary school, there are just seven girls. At secondary level the number of girls compared to boys is twice as many.   Overall rates for primary school completion across the country remain low at around 10 percent, with girls constituting the majority of dropouts.   Veitch stressed that it was not enough to simply get more girls to enroll in school. “Priority must also be placed on making sure they stay in school and achieve better learning outcomes,” he said.   “When girls are able to stay in school and be supported to avoid early and forced marriage they build a foundation for a better life for themselves and their families, and make an invaluable contribute to society.”    “UNICEF and partners will support the government, teachers, communities and parents to ensure that this strategy, which we have all worked so hard to put together, is implemented fully and contributes towards the transformation and development of South Sudan,” Veitch said.   Mr. Hakan Falkell, Deputy Country Director-Operation for World Food Program (WFP) South Sudan, on his part said his organization will continue supporting the government in providing food to the schools for enrolment of children to schools.

“I would like to reiterate my organization’s commitment to promote food security and contribute to education” said Hakan, WFP Deputy Country Director.

Girls’ Education Day was first declared by Dr. John Garang De Mabior in 2004 and was first celebrated nationally in 2006.