Renk commissioner links poverty to lack of education for women
By Ngor Arol Garang
September 3, 2010 (RENK) — Renk County Commissioner, Colonel Deng Akueny said poverty was linked to lack of education especially with women in rural areas
The Commissioner made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing an HIV/AIDS meeting in Renk town organized by an indigenous organization called Renk Preventive and curative Association (RPCA). He said the fight to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS will remain an uphill battle if people, especially women, remain uneducated.
“The poverty is more visible on the faces of women,” said Akueny, explaining that the reason women wallow in poverty is because of lack of education, saying one of the best ways to liberate the country from poverty is through educating women.
“I want to tell you that education is the way we are going to overcome poverty in this country and we need to educate the women first,” he said.
He identified traditional forced early marriage as one of the contributing factors to girls dropping out of school.
“The number of young girls who continue with education up to university level remains very low in the rural areas because most of the parents often interfere with determination to pursue education at higher learning institutions far away from their localities,” he said.
“This practice needs sensitization. It needs a lot of awareness in order for our people to be able to understand importance of education in the community,” he added.
He also urged girls in rural areas not to rush into early marriage so that they advance their education and challenge men in order to get into positions of decision making at any level.
“The problem which is there is that you girls rush to become mothers and drop out of school. This has made the country particularly southern Sudan to have less educated women which has allowed men to take up most positions of decision making. Do not rush into early marriage, you should get educated and challenge men to positions of decision making,” he encouraged women.
He also appealed to women who dropped out of formal education because of various reasons to go back to school. He said he allowed women who have showed in interest in various departments in the county to pursue further studied because it is never too late to learn.
“I have allowed women who have shown interest in wanting to pursue their studies and I also encourage those who have realized importance of education to go to school and learn. I have done it and I am repeating today that education has no age limit so long as [the] person seeking education understands,” he explained.
Akueny said it will not be easy to fight HIV and AIDS if women remained illiterate. “Even this disease, HIV/AIDS, will be difficult to contend if our women are not educated,” he said.
(ST)
Santino Nuan
Renk commissioner links poverty to lack of education for women
Thanks Mr Commssioner Deng Akuei Kak
You have clearly came out to address the of women in this patriachal society of the South . South Sudan leaders are very slow in addressing issues of women’s emanicipation and that is why the are held accountable for early marriage culture. Our girls don’t marry themselves alone but there are people who force them to get such humilating early marriage.
Some elders and leaders of the South do marry young girls without getting ashame. They use their wealthy status to influent girls’ parents to give up their daughters for early marriage. Is it not a violating of girl’s right?
Education for girls should be given priority in the South Sudan and it is true that women who show interest to persue their education should be exampted from durty and permit to go to school without freezing their salary. There are many women in Denk Akuei County’s government who want to resume their schools but they are afraid of their salaries being stopped by the government.
Please salary for women who gone to schools should not be stopped except women who sit at home or gone for wrong business deserve being stopped.
Santino Nuan
mayom maboung marek
Renk commissioner links poverty to lack of education for women
the good commissioner has come with point,Education plays a vital role in acquiring jobs, learning new skills, and bringing home necessities and comforts of life. A person who doesn’t receive an education has a very small chance of making much money and acquiring skills that would bring home a desirable income. that is the situation we are in.
go on with your good initiatives
mayom maboung