Akobo counties call for parents to send more girls to school

December 12, 2010 (JUBA) – School children from Greater Akobo counties of Nyirol, Uror and Akobo in Jonglei state have called on parents to allow all girls to attend school.

In a celebration organized in Waat Payam of Nyirol County last week coincideding with the visit of the South Sudan’s Vice President, Riek Machar Teny, the school children expressed their dissatisfaction over the lack of participation of female students in schooling.

The school children performed drama activities depicting the situation and urged the parents to let go their girls to school.

In his remarks during the occasion which attracted a large crowd of citizens in Waat payam, Machar echoed the call in support of girl child education. He said both male and female children should be allowed to go to school and explained to parents that an educated girl is more productive economically than uneducated one.

In the cattle keeping communities such as the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups, girls are considered a source of wealth through payment of marriage dowries by their respective bridegroom’s parents, and therefore sending them to school is sometimes seen as spoiling their chance of marriage and getting cattle.

Machar told the parents that an educated girl can also bring more wealth to her parents even before marriage because she can get a job that can generate money more than the value of cattle from marriage.

The Vice President also advised that educated mothers have more chance of healthy pregnancy and delivery and can also bring up healthy children than their uneducated counterparts.

He also warned men on the negative effect of violence against women, saying it is harmful mentally and physically. This would affect their family’s productivity for their families as well as that of the nation.

(ST)