$6 Million for education programs in southern sudan
Aug 22, 2005 (Khartoum) — The great challenge facing the country in this phase is the implementation of the contents of Naivasha and the comprehensive peace agreements, specially in regard to the rehabilitation of southern Sudan and resettlement of the refugees and the displaced who are to participate in the rebuilding process of the south of Sudan
As education represent the most important factor for development, many great project for the rehabilitation of the educational institutions and the capacity building of human resources were made to realize the human development at a total cost of one and a half Sudanese milliard dinars [approximately 6m$], allocated by the government and the donors. The minister of education Ahmed Babikir Nahar explained that the ministry has planned an educational strategy for South Sudan based on rebuilding what had been destroyed and damaged by the war in the basic infrastructures, and to know the size of the working force which left the field of work due to the war besides knowing the number of those who returned to work to bridge the gap in the educational institutions. Also it is necessary to carry on statistical surveys and population census showing the real assessment of south Sudan’s needs bearing in mind that the last population census was carried in 1999
He explained that the donors has announced their obligations to support the education sector in south Sudan during the coming five years pointing out that the European Union has allocated the sum of 135 million Euro to support the rehabilitation of south Sudan , 70% of it will be allocated for the education sector which include rehabilitation of the technical schools and the educational institutions and teachers’ training institutions
He said In addition to this there is also the Japanese aid which will contribute in the establishment of 500 primary schools beside providing the schools’ tools and educational equipment at a total cost of 20 million US dollars
He also explained that the Chinese aid has already started by providing seats for 833 students besides building the laboratories for 1000 high secondary schools and building 80 primary and high secondary schools at a total cost of 30 milliard dinars, while the Islamic Bank for Development had allocated the sum of 770 million sd to establish 22 schools explaining that the export revenues programme will contribute by about 4.25 million euro to support rural areas, while the French bilateral cooperation programme of establishing the teachers homes in rural areas has allocated 2.3 million US dollars in addition to the aid granted by Kotono agreement
The minister said the Sudan is faced by great challenges represented in solving the school drop outs Problem and school leaving, viewing all the efforts exerted to support the vocational education and the technical capacity building explaining that the European Union has allocated 30 million euro to finance the urgent projects made by the ministry in regard to reorganizing the hostels systems and the of the schools’ food supply which will contribute in creating attractive schools for the students besides alleviating the burden of poverty and reactivate the school’s role in the social structure and bridging the gap between the students to realize the stability of education
He also called on all the states under the UNESCO and the other international organizations to support the efforts of the Sudan to rehabilitate and rebuild the south of the Sudan and to give special concern to the resettlement of the refugees and enroll them in the specialized programmes to gain experiences and skills which enable them to reintegrate in the society and to help in eradicating the cultural and social effects resulting from war and conflicts and to dominate the culture of peace in the country.
Translated by: Elham Mahmoud Written by : Hanan Hassan
SUNA/ST