South Sudan, UN launch campaign to retain teachers amid desertion due to poor remuneration

Photo from St. Comboni Secondary School in Juba (UNMISS)

JUBA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday launched a nationwide campaign aimed at improving the livelihoods of teachers in order to prevent them from school abstention.

South Sudan's Ministry of General Education and Instruction, the European Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Global Partnership for Education said in a joint statement in the South Sudanese capital of Juba that the campaign aims to address the challenges teachers face by improving their livelihoods and the overall quality of education for the future of children in the East African country.

"The campaign aims to ensure that teachers receive regular, on-time payments and proper training; the campaign will enable the retention of highly skilled educators in the sector, who will in turn provide better teaching to their students and contribute to the nation's progress," it said.

Eric Alain Ategbo, UNICEF South Sudan acting representative, said teachers support the all-around development of children, and their contribution to the education system is invaluable.

"Our joint efforts aim to provide the necessary resources, training, and support to ensure they can continue their vital work and ultimately help build a better future for the children of South Sudan," Ategbo said.

He said the campaign will also focus on fostering a supportive environment for teachers by promoting their professional development and career growth and enhancing teacher motivation.

"By advocating for investment in teachers, the campaign hopes to create a sustainable and positive impact on the education sector in South Sudan," he said.

Zaharia Matur Makter, chair of the higher education committee in the Transitional National Legislative Assembly, said training of teachers is critical to improving the provision of quality education. "When they are trained, you also motivate them. When you pay them, you keep them in schools; you keep them in the teaching profession," Matur said.

The UNICEF estimates more than 2.8 million children, or over 70 percent, are out of school in South Sudan due to poverty, conflicts, and child marriages, with girls forming the largest number of out-of-school children in South Sudan, partly due to cultural and religious views.

The UNICEF disclosed that some of the out-of-school children are living in pastoral communities, moving with their cattle, and are not able to attend regular classes.