Adult literacy program launched in Yambio county

August 8, 2016 (YAMBIO) – The education ministry in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state has launched an adult literacy program targeting over 3,000 ex-South Sudan National Liberation Movement (SSNLM) forces Barisi training camp in Yambio county.

The education minister, Philip Pia, said the program seeks to upgrade the education standard of youth who took arms against the government as they demanded for their rights.

“We have launched adult literacy program to over three thousand SSNLM youth who signed peace with government of Republic of South Sudan in April, 2nd 2016,” said Pia.

He added, “We thought it that it is important to give them functional literacy since they are in a group. It is an opportunity to catch them in one place to give them this adult literacy program to help them in their future career.”

According to the official, it was a policy of the government to encourage uniform personnel who are educated and uneducated to continue with further studies, if they wished.

Subjects usually covered, Pia said, involve skills’ training, which enables the trainees to easily fit into the community.

The minister, however, urged all the military and other organised forces to take up education, citing adult classes which now operate in some of the country’s military barracks.

“Soldiers now get education while in the barracks,” said Pia.

Several youth and ex-combatants under SSNLM umbrella rebelled against the Western Equatoria state government, as they demanded for their rights, including promotion to the military, while others urged the army to protect civilians.

The SSNLM signed peace agreement with the government on 2 April 2016 in Yambio, amid assurance that they would be integrated into the country’s organised forces.

(ST)