S. Sudan and AfDB sign agreement to enhance education

September 26, 2019 (JUBA) – The government of South Sudan on Thursday signed a $17.7 million agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support the country’s education sector.

UNICEF’s representative to South Sudan, Mohamed Ag Ayoya told reporters that the project will benefit both teachers and learners.

“Today’s event is the signatory of the grant agreements between the African Development Bank and the government of South Sudan for the primary and general education. UNICEF has been chosen to be the implementing agency here in South Sudan,” said Ayoya.

“We are going to rehabilitate two institutes that train teachers in this country and about 2,000 teachers are going to benefit from that aspect of the project,” he added.

Ayoya further pointed out that the project will facilitate the construction of schools in areas badly affected by the conflict in the country, adding that learners will also receive learning materials.

“The second is rehabilitating or constructing 35 schools particularly in Jonglei and Upper Nile, where, as we know the access to education has been very much constrained. The third aspect of the project is helping us to provide more supplies, more textbooks to the children throughout South Sudan,” he added.

Also present at the signing of the agreement were South Sudan’s Higher Education minister, Yen Oral and AfDB’s Benedict Sorie Kanu.

(ST)