Boma state prepares to launch state-wide education campaign
May 29, 2016 (BOR) – Authorities in the newly created Boma state, one of the controversial 28 states inhabited by South Sudan’s Murle, Anyuak and Kachipo ethnic groups, have alarmed sharp increase in number of boys and girls dropping out of schools as they prepare to launch a total back to school campaign in June this year.
The culture of Murle ethnic community in Boma state, allowed girls to be married off as earlier as the age of 15, which resulted into low girls’ enrolment in schools, according to the education minister, Simon Korton Tulki.
“This habit is what we are trying to preach about so that the people abandon it because when the girl is educated, she is better than uneducated girl. Underage marriages also affect the life of the girls because they are exposed to some hardships, which they cannot manage as housewives,” he added.
According to Murle culture, young men in the villages book girls at birth, even when they are days old, by paying some heads of cattle.
A designated traditional beads which is put around the neck of a small girl, indicates which age group the husband to be belongs to. Such girls don’t go to school, as they fear of being regarded as ‘spoiled’ by these communities which value virginity.
“In schools, you find the girls’ up to primary six and then they drop out when they reach the age of 10 and above,” said the minister.
Out of 65 candidates who sat for secondary school exams in Boma state, only one was a girl. A lot more are dropping out before reaching primary seven. Young Murle men have also been busy roaming about in the wilderness looking for cows and kids to steal.
Attempts are being made by the state ministry of education to change this perception in people’s minds across the state, but little has been achieved.
“We are trying our best, but it is very hard to be accepted. They had been practising it for centuries and they had never seen or felt the effect of it. Gradually, we will continue to preach it to the communities, and slowly they will accept it. Some individuals who are living near the town have already seen the benefit,” said Korton.
He said South Sudan would be a better place to live in if “we abandon the bad culture of early marriages so that our girls and boys go to schools to learn. Educated people can change the life of this community.”
The state governor, Baba Medan, also believed that only education would change the mindset of the Murle community from child abduction and early marriages to a productive one, free from crimes.
“If you want to build a good community, if you want to have future for this state, we must put our focus on education because education is the key for everything,” said Medan.
He had special message to the parents out there, advising them to put their children to schools.
“If you want to increase the number of your cattle you have, you bring your daughter to school. If a daughter is educated, you will get 200 heads of cattle or more when she gets married. She will also support you with her salaries. But the girls in the villages who are not educated, you only get 50 heads of cattle when she gets married and she cannot support you in any way,” he added.
Boys are also believed to be leaving schools when they are initiated at the age of 16 or above, and become raiders and child abductors, practices which the governor considered to be sinful.
“If young men are educated, they will not abduct other people’s children or raid cattle from other communities. This way, peace will come to this place and we will be able to explore our natural resources nicely for the development,” said Medan.
(ST)
