Kiir directs state governors to dissuade drop out of school children

By Ngor Arol Garang

May 14, 2010 (WUNROK) — The recently elected President of the regional government of Southern Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit, has on Friday issued an advisory circular directing all ten southern state governors to dissuade drop out of school children

The circular extended to Sudan Tribute directs all state governors to carry out house to house crackdown to establish school children who have passed national exams but have not reported back in their respected primary and secondary schools to continue this academic year.

President Kiir also directed that all parents involved should be questioned so that the
children would be sent to their designated secondary schools.

Kiir issued the directive on Friday following receipt and announcement of development report for secondary schools in greater Equatoria region.

The report indicated that 35.6 per cent of 12, 843 children who passed standard primary eight regional examinations last year have not reported at designated secondary schools.

Only 8, 278 students which are 64 per cent, have reported to designated secondary schools, and 4, 565 have not yet reported. These figures are too high, we cannot continue to deny our children bright future by denying them the chance to get good education, while secondary schools are available, the President said.

Get the names of all the students and their parents should be questioned and if they don’t have valid reasons, then they should be held accountable,” he stressed.

Professor Job Dhoruai, minister of education, science and technology in the regional government of southern Sudan, reportedly told the president that some of the reasons for failure to report to school include pregnancies, forceful marriages or parents or refusing to allow the students to report to secondary schools.

President Kiir directed the exercise to be carried out region wide where there are similar problems under the supervision of state governors. All state governors must work together with their state ministers of education to ensure that children are not denied right to schools, Kiir reportedly said.

(ST)