Students of Rumbek senior secondary school riot on classrooms shortages

By Manyang Mayom

June 8, 2010 (RUMBEK) — Over 600 students at Rumbek’s Senior Secondary School participated in a protest over classroom shortage and the lack of teachers and food.

The school’s headmaster Gabriel Malieny Marik, told Sudan Tribune that there are no classrooms to accommodate over 650 students for the first year intake. He also added that Lakes state ministry of education did not inform the school administration about the number of students and the ministry of education did a random intake without consulting our management.

One of the students participating in the protest, Mr. Garnob Makur, told Sudan Tribune that there are many problems – he affirmed that management of the school is weak; there is no food available to students and there are no teachers or classrooms.

“We are now in junction; we are not belonging to state education administration or the government of South Sudan’s educational administration.” added Makur.

The headmaster added that the administration expected the ministry to advice them on how to deal with the alarming intake this year because they can take a maximum of 250 students this year.

Students are holding a protest for two days. When he was asked for a comment, the headmaster said that it wasn’t the administration’s fault.

Moreover, the headmaster affirmed that the school was prepared to only accept students who received an average of 170 on their exams. He also added that this was dropped because this is the only secondary school in town.

Furthermore, Lakes state has only three secondary schools including Pankar in the village of Yirol and Lorito girls secondary school owned by a missionary inside Rumbek town located on the road to Wau.

Although the students believe that the school needs to take action, they resisted the administration’s suggestion to shift two classes from the morning to the evening.

(ST)