Jonglei celebrates African Child Day, govt assures incessant grooming

By Philip Thon Aleu

June 16, 2008 (BOR TOWN) – Thousands school children, political or religious leaders and police units converged for African Child Day at Bor Town Freedom Square today where poems and riddles presided by children “prompted” state authorities to promise a keen child grooming.

The African Child Day, which began in 1991 in South Africa after independence to commemorate children killed while protesting against the then White dominated Apartheid government, was first celebrated in Southern Sudan in 2007 but today’s the first in Jonglei.

Bor Town school children use the first great day to challenge parents who force girl-child to early marriages with aims of accumulating “cattle wealth.”

The primary school children budge audiences including Governor, State ministers, commissioners and members of legislative Assembly to applaud when they (children) presided a riddle entitled “African Girl-Child Today.”

“You, my daughter, that man will marry you, he came from abroad (America, Australia, UK etc as they mention in the riddle), has a lot of money, long papers (well educated) and his father has many cattle………. Your little education will enable you to give right doses to your child……………. I want cattle, I want to be like my colleagues………,” Bor “A” pupils’ riddle goes in parts in a father’s voice. The daughter and her mother could refuse but in vain.

All this, the children say, is done to satisfy parents’ need but short term to poverty eradication. The children marvel educated persons from abroad or within Sudan who do not know the right to education, life, health, good wealth and doing right thing at the right time; which the children commended constitutes a stable marriage.

In respond, Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk acknowledged pupils’ rich poems and riddles presentation and promised building a cultural centre to modernize them.

“It is these good poems and riddles you represented in an excellent English that prompted me to promise building a cultural centre,” he said. Manyang appreciated teachers and pupils for been so committed to their respective work.

CHILD ABUSE

Jonglei suffers child abduction than any another state in Southern Sudan but the dynamic declined since Governor Kuol ascent State top position in December, 2007. Many children do not attend basic education due to rigid cultures rooted in cattle keeping and other traditions that tend to neglect females. Many children flood Bor Town streets making money at extreme risks as motorist and mini-bus commentators.

ADAPT SHORT HOLIDAYS

In a related development, State Ministry of Education has been tasked to consider reviving the “curriculum” that allows three months vocation at the end of an academic year.

Governor Manyang says Central Equartoria State’s County of “Yei has adapted Ugandan’s system of education and is it very effective.” “These holidays are too long and children tend to forget their roll,” he asserted. 120,000 children are attending schools this year according state authorities and indeed the greatest number in Southern Sudan, the statesman added.

PARENTAL DUTY
To solve any form of child abuse, the Governor says is a prime roll of the parents. “The government can just help but parents play a primary duty to realizing excellent citizens. We fought to liberate children for a home without a child has no future,” Mr. Manyang said. State Interior Ministry and Traffic police in paricular should enforce laws and help “grabbing” children off street to reduce any risk involved in yet another decree.

UN agencies, which the state government requested to intervene in building schools, providing sporty materials and feeding school children, attended the rally organized by State Ministry of Social Development in conjunction with Save the Children – Sweden.

(ST)