W. Equatoria minister of education wants “quality education.”
October 9, 2010 (YAMBIO) – The State Minister of Education in the state government of Western Equatoria state (WES) Adil Senderi has said that “quality education is the priority of his ministry” as he intends to borrow an olive branch from the United Nations millennium goals “strategy.”
Speaking to Sudan Tribune on Thursday from his office in Yambio the state minister said that, “the WES has less number of skilled and professional trained teachers to deliver quality services to the schools hence poor performance of primary and secondary students are not as a surprise.”
The state minister blamed Sudan’s long lasting civil which crippled education system mostly in the southern part. “During the 22 years of struggle only few teachers had undergone trainings and some were just fresh students without any teaching experience but volunteering to accelerate learning process,” he said.
The education system in southern Sudan has always been under resourced, coupled with the last twenty-two years of civil war that ended in 2005, have left Southern Sudan without quality and equitable education for the southerners.
Senderi said that, “to overcome the shortage of skilled and trained teachers, Maridi Teachers’ Training Institute in WES’s Maridi County which was opened in 1948 is a priority to be revived for continues professional teaching in WES schools.”
Some 3000 teachers, from the three states of Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria and Western Equatoria states will assemble for a two years diploma course in teaching profession in Maridi on October 15, 2010.
Senderi asserted that, “among the 100 teachers from each State, 10 will be fresh secondary school leavers who will acquire the knowledge to teach in primary schools, and on the job teaching.”
Western Equatoria County Education Center have conducted short courses for teachers has trained 100 teachers who graduated early last month after 3 months training and more 100 teachers are due to attend similar trainings.
Senderi stated that after the trainings his ministry plans “to introduce transfer policy for the teachers in the state to rotate in schools” adding that “a teacher is eligible to duty station transfers any time to any part of the Country or state just like a soldier who does not have permanent place for duties.”
In a related development, the minister revealed that, “USAID and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) have donated $600,000 in aid granted to support Yabongo Girl’s Boarding Secondary School which was started two years.
However, he stated that his ministry will raise some funds to foster and improve the status of the said Boarding Secondary School and the new project for one more Boarding School as an attempt to reduce the rapid unwanted pregnancies and drop outs from Schools among girls.
Senderi condemned child labor within the town, saying that “every child has the right to education; therefore all parents should take Education a priority.”
He urged parents not to give heavy work to children while at home in order to allow the children revise their home works or books.
The minister cautioned politicians not to interfere with his efforts to deliver quality education as it will impede the progress of the ministry while trying to reform and restructure educational systems for the betterment of the state.
Western Equatoria state has over 276 Primary Schools, 30 Community Girls’ Schools, 17 Secondary Schools and 21 Pre Schools in which the number of teachers is less than half than the number of the schools.
(ST)