Receive daily updates directly in your inbox -, Joy in South Sudan, as schools reopen after 14-month COVID lockdown, UN reportsleap forward in regulating DNA-altering technology to benefit all, Ukraine: Oxygen shortage putting lives in danger, Gaza medics struggling to cope with influx of wounded: UN agencies, Women abducted in South Sudan released, hundreds remain missing, UN agencies call for urgent action to avert famine risk in 20 hunger hotspots. More than 800,000 people in South Sudan might lose access to health services if humanitarian funding is not met: https://t.co/94dCWnnttD pic.twitter.com/YB1EY7AGib. Come June, primary healthcare services may no longer be available for women and children, the elderly and those living with disabilities. With the closure of schools, from one day to another, the number of out of school children in South Sudan had almost doubled. But capacity building efforts of the government have been interrupted by conflict. The printed guidelines offer direction on concrete measures that armed forces and non-state actors can take to avoid military use of educational facilities, to reduce the risks of attacks, and to mitigate the impact of attacks and military use when they occur. The booklets were handed over to the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Defense, Major General Chol Diar Ngang and the Deputy Inspector General of Police Lieutenant-General James Pui Yak Yiel. UNICEF and UNESCO will work with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction to ensure that the return of the children of South Sudan to school can happen in the best circumstances, reducing as much as possible the risk of infections and ensuring that children no longer lose time. A lot happened to children when they were at home. Schools in South Sudan are set to reopen nearly seven months after they were closed as part of the governments measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, schools are closed until September, as one of the measures to halt the spread of COVID-19. 22 September 2020. The Minister of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) has just announced that all schools in South Sudan will reopen on 3 May 2021. The Minister of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) has just announced that all schools in South Sudan will reopen on 3 May 2021. And evidence has proven that the longer schoolchildren are out of school, the less likely they are to return. South Sudans Information minister Michael Makuei told The East African that the decision had been arrived at after a comprehensive study by the National Taskforce on Covid-19. She caution students to keenly observed health prevention measures in class. The education system in the country consists of 8,000 primary schools (grades 1-8), 120 secondary schools (grades 9-12) and one university. I am very happy that schools have opened and we have returned to school and now we are very happy because of this school opening, Jackline Kizito said. This comes on top of the 2.2 million children out of school before the pandemic hit South Sudan. Radio classes allowed thousands of children in South Sudan to keep learning, but many more have no access to distant learning. There were tears of joy at OR Tambo International Airport today following the return of 52 South . ", "It is important for us the organized forces to disseminate the booklet," said Lieutenant-General James Pui Yak Yiel, He added that "we are committed to distributing this document and enforcing it within the armed forces since we are also the law enforcers. The current reopening plan will cost just under USD 16.4 million, while only USD 7 million is available through the Global Partnership for Education. FCDO, UK Department for International Development, US Agency for International Development, USAID, ensure an increased equitable access to quality education, South Sudan: Securing a brighter future for children affected by conflict, Ministry of General Education and Instruction, General Education Sector Plan (GESP) 2017-2022. Monday 1 May 2023 - 6:45am. The basics of the sector administration and management are rudimentary, which started to develop, along with the rest of the civil service in the country, only after the 2005 Peace Agreement. In July, a number of international aid organisations urged the government to reopen schools warning that children face a number of perils while away from classrooms. UNICEF successfully advocated for the reopening of schools after 14 months of closure due to COVID-19 measures, and supported schools to resume functioning. "There is an existing order for all schools still occupied by armed groups to be vacated immediately.". The program is complementary to South Sudans US$7 million COVID-19 grant. For Daniel, Wendy and other candidates sitting their final exams in early 2021, education resumed last year in October 2020. Phase 2 includes all schools and grades and will coincide with the . As the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, the re-opening of schools is a difficult topic to consider. UNICEF is thankful for all the support from our trusted Education partners, including Canada, EU/ECHO, Norway, Sweden, the Global Partnership for Education, UKAID and USAID. Students tried to keep learning at home,but Wendy Ahonda (16)explains it was no easy feat. Also, thousands of children, particularly those living in rural areas, from poorer families or with special needs, rely on schools as a lifeline to meals. On the other hand, there is overwhelming evidence on the negative impact of school closures on childrens physical and mental health, nutrition, safety and learning. South Sudan had more than 2,500 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including more than 45 deaths and more than 1,200 recoveries. School reopened Monday in South Sudan after closure for more than one year due to COVID-19 pandemic. Education partners were alarmed by children who dropped out of schools, primarily teenagers who got marriages during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a related development, the International Organization for Migration (IOM)warnedon Tuesday that life-saving healthcare for more than 800,000 South Sudanese, may have to be cut if funding is not found urgently. Schools reopening date set to be decided today. Students return to school in Juba, South Sudan, after more than fourteen months of COVID-19 restrictions. May 3, 2021. Girls at the WFP-backed Mayo school in Juba are expected to attend 80 percent of classes. I work for an international organization It was also attended by the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Defense, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, students and representatives of the UN agencies, among others. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. As children in South Sudan await the re-opening of schools, WFP is mitigating against the impact of the pandemic on children's health and nutrition by providing take-home rations for 23,000 children in the most food-insecure counties. GPE had provided the South Sudan National Education Coalition with a grant from the CSEF to support its engagement in education sector policy dialogue and citizens voice in education quality, equity, and financing and sector reform. Usually, we look forward to the holidays, but suddenly our holiday became so long," Wendy said. Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, Vice President in charge of Service . Health is not a luxury, its a right and a necessity. This document is inclusive of peacebuilding education, life skills, citizenship in the curriculum. Copyright 2023 United Nations in South Sudan, Caption: Bell ringing ceremony to mark the reopening of schools after 14 months closure due to COVID-19. Daniel Athien wrote his senior 4 exams during the pandemic and is excited to join the university. Nation-wide Assessment Report - SSEC - 2016-11. Salaam Schools - South Sudan. We are reopening today and we are reopening because we have children at home. UNICEF is committed to working with the ministry of education to ensure learning continues in the country. 165. Copies were also given to the Ministry of Justice. UNICEF country representative in South Sudan, Dr. Hamida Lasseko, also speaking at the same event reiterated UNICEFs commitment to continue supporting the education sector in South Sudan. When girls remain out of school they are at higher risks of sexual exploitation and abuse, including child marriage. "I can't wait to get the results and join the university. The GPEII program financed by the US$41.7 million grant is designed to ensure that by the end of 2023, the number of boys and girls who are out of school in target areas decreases by 15%, while ensuring an increased equitable access to quality education through working closely with other programs. "When schools reopen, we will notice a reduced number of female students, she says with sadness in her eyes. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. The countrywide reopening of schools in South Sudan is a welcome step on the . It is now ten years since Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to Africa, with Tanzania being his first stop on the Opinion Piece: The Author isDr Zhou Pingjian, the Ambassador of China to Kenya. (END). I work in journalism / media During a validation workshop of the Safe Declaration guidelines, representatives of armed forces and civilians were identified to be occupants of the schools in South Sudan. Schools are places for children to be safe and to be protected and also to access basic services, school feeding and so on.. South Sudan, the UN's youngest Member State, is marking its tenth anniversary of independence amid languishing political progress and a range of humanitarian challenges, the Secretary-General's Special Representative told Security Council members on Monday. And the states government should work with national ministry of General Education to develop the education sector, he added. We appeal to the communities and the families to have confidence and send their children back to school once it has re-opened. However, stakeholders including the government representatives were briefed. Pupils attend a class at Spire Road Primary School in Jinja on March 1. ", This was the message delivered to the government and armed groups by school children during the official launch of the 'Safe School Declaration' guideline in Juba on Monday 25, 2021. "This will require an inclusive process -after all, the inequalities in education based on gender, culture, inequitable resource sharing is the root cause of conflict. Yet, it is critical to balance the overwhelmingly damaging effects of school closures on children with the need to control the spread of COVID-19. John is one of the beneficiaries of school materials handed Bells are ringingin #southsudan to mark the reopening of schools. The countrywide reopening of schools in South Sudan is a welcome step on the road to "normalcy" for youngsters, two in three of whom need humanitarian assistance, the UN Children's Fund ( UNICEF) said on Tuesday. War in Sudan | Evacuees back on South African soil. The Safe Schools Declaration is, therefore, an inter-governmental political commitment that provides countries the opportunity to express support for protecting students, teachers, schools, and universities from attack during times of armed conflict; the importance of the continuation of education during armed conflict; and the implementation of concrete measures to deter the military use of schools, The Ministry of General Education and Instruction, and Charity and Empowerment Foundation (CEF), with support from Save the Children International developed the guidelines to facilitate the dissemination of the guidelines of the Declaration incorporated into the South Sudan People Defense Forces (SSPDF) code of conduct. The US$7 million COVID-19 grant supports: In late March 2020, the UNICEF office in South Sudan received a GPE grant of US$70,000 to support the Ministry of Education in planning its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Several UN agencies, Embassies as well as education actors were represented at the . September 12, 2020. The Minister of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) has just announced that all schools in South Sudan will reopen on 3 May 2021. JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN 22 SEPTEMBER 2020 - UNICEF and UNESCO welcome the decision of the Government to start reopening of schools in South Sudan. He noted that schools will only operate at half capacity as preventive measures against COVID-19. Major General Chol Diar disclosed at today's function that such orders have already been issued for schools recently occupied by armed groups -especially in Western Equatoria state to be vacated and the forces organized. Schools in South Sudan were shut down for 14 months to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When schools close, their lifeline to these services is taken away. With the closures of schools an additional 2 million children were out of school. Discover UNESCO's impact around the world and the organisation's endeavour to build durable peace. We applaud for the plan of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction to gradually reopen schools in the coming weeks and encourage the National COVID-19 Taskforce to support the plan. I can tell you that we will work day and night as we have done before to ensure that not only about the opening of schools but sustaining these children to stay in schools and supporting all areas which involve quality and quantity when it comes to education. Ms. Awut further revealed that the reopening of schools came after the Girls' Education South Sudan (GESS), an education program, and the Global Partnership for Education, a partnership and funding platform that aims to strengthen education systems in developing countries, provided funds to enable distribution of water sanitation and hygiene . Numerous reports speak about child marriages and early pregnancies due to girls being out of school and increased gender-based violence. Schools finally reopened their doors after more than 14 months of closures because of COVID-19. To counter disruptions in education caused by COVID-19, UNMISS peacekeepers from Mongolia hand over school materials for displaced children in Bentiu. All rights reserved. Launch of the project "Boosting digital competencies of teachers in Chile". For almost 75 years,the UNESCO Courierhas served as a platform for international debates on issues that concern the entire planet. The event was graced by the Vice President in charge of Service Cluster, Abdelbagi Ayii and the Minister of General Education and Instruction, Awut Deng. But the countrywide reopening of schools in May 2021 is an opportunity to secure the future of children in South Sudan. He also acknowledged the importance of monitoring and reporting grave violations against children in armed conflicts as per the UN Security Council resolution. In March 2020, all education facilities Several UN agencies, Embassies as well as education actors were represented at the event. Before the pandemic, 2.8 million children were out of school due to poverty, inequalities, cultural beliefs and nomadic lifestyles. Phase 1 includes the candidate classes, Primary 8 and Senior 4, and will start the first week of October 2020. The family noise meant she had to study at a neighbour's house or wait until the nighttime snoring stoppedbefore she could open her books. The funds will ensure as many children as possible are returning to school in the 2020-2021 academic year. I know you want what is best for your children, and right now that is sending them back to school. Groundwater, making the invisible visible. Usually, we look forward to the holidays, but suddenly our holiday became so long," Wendy said. Schools finally reopened their doors after more than 14 months of closures because of COVID-19. "I can't wait to get the results and join the university. Despite conflicting opinions on the question, theres no mistaking the strong, almost visceral response shared by all: there is a need to protect the young from the risk of harm brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace. With the academic year cut just six weeks in, many students were worried they would never be able to sit their final exams and finish their education. There is increasing evidence that children and schools are not the main drivers of the epidemic across countries. South Sudan said on Tuesday that a partial reopening of learning institutions will commence in October amid declining COVID-19 positive cases. March 25, 2023 marks the 10th anniversary since Chinese President Xi Jinping made the four-point proposal in Africa. Two students from Juba Day Secondary School spoke to Radio Tamazuj at the launch. The plan includes improved water provision to schools, repair of water infrastructure, soap distribution, handwashing stations and sanitary kits. ", During the launch of the guidelines, the Undersecretary Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs read their commitment to the document as written by the Minister of Defense, Angelina Teny, "We shall ensure the concerned units within Ministry of Defense are instructed to start the process of observing the safe school guidelines," Major General Chol Diar Ngang pledged. The General Education Sector Plan (GESP) 2017-2022, titled 'Planning for Safety, Resilience and Social Cohesion', is an effort to contain this stress on the system, and to give the sector a direction towards stability based on data, evidence and financing outlays. As schools have now resumed, it is important to monitor how many children effectively returned to the education facilities. May 4, 2021. But public expenditure is one of the worlds lowest for education. Juba, South Sudan, After 14 months, schools in South Sudan reopen, Welcome to the United Nations country team website of South Sudan. In fact, there is no known evidence on the correlation between the rate of disease transmission and whether or not schools remain open or closed. There are reports of children having been engaged in child labour, children roaming the markets looking for work and opportunities, children joining gangs and engaged in crime and substance abuse. I am excited to hear schools will reopen and soon we shall get to reunite with friends and teachers to learn more," Lawrence said. This should lead to a robust plan for ensuring all children receive a quality education, Rama Hansraj underscored. Meanwhile, Ms. Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction urged parents and guardians to enroll their children, including pregnant, disability and breast feeding girls. Unfortunately, some of them were going through many difficulties and challenges, as we all know. How fast are countries transforming their education? However, catching up on seven months of lost education and preparing for the biggest exam of our lives was stressful. "Overstaying at home is embarrassing us and erasing away the knowledge we acquired from our teachers. We advocate for effective and principled humanitarian action by all, for all. Copyright 2020 CGTN. Minister of General Education and Instructions Awut Deng Achuil during the reopening of schools launch May 3rd. I work for the GPE Secretariat With the academic year cut just six weeks in, many students were worried they would never be able to sit their final exams and finish their education. Now, its time for Lawrence and the rest of the children to return to school. Moreover, girls have been hit the hardest. Lawrence Mathew (15), a senior three student says also he has been struggling; "We have been out of school and idle at home for over a year, sometimes we revise our past lessons, but we are losing hope that our classes will reopen.". I work for a research organization Schools were shut down in April of last year, as part of measures put in place by the government to contain the spread of Covid-19. To recovery and beyond:The report takes stock of the global progress on the adoption and implementation of legal guarantees on Access to Informati, Addressing culture as a global public good. The government . With support from GPE and UNICEF, the government of South Sudan is making progress in enrolling children against a backdrop of political instability, a struggling economy and armed conflict. But the countrywide reopening of schools in May 2021 is an opportunity to secure the future of children in South Sudan. Students tried to keep learning at home, but Wendy Ahonda (16) explains it was no easy feat. The Safe School Declaration has been developed in the form of Schools as "Zones of Peace." Furthermore, South Sudan Ministry of Education policy framework has been developed and is now before the cabinet for approval. The countrywide reopening of schools in South Sudan is a welcome step on the road to normalcy for youngsters, two in three of whom need humanitarian assistance, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. The crisis in South Sudan has impeded education for most of the countrys children. The warning comes ahead of the upcoming rainy season, whichbrings with it a higher risk of cholera, malaria and respiratory infections. In 2005, the Security Council established a Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) to systematically monitor, document and report on violations committed against children in situations of concern around the world. Lifelong learning is key to overcoming global challenges and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the welcome development, the UNICEF official noted that many children had not been able to return to class, their future development held up by a chronic humanitarian emergency, fuelled by ongoing violence and climate shocks. The Vice President further encouraged stakeholders to embark on awareness and action campaigns to promote the protection of schools and other learning institutions in South Sudan. SSEC- Report After Action Review of School Feeding (South Sudan Humanitarian Fund-SA 1) Questionnaire - IRNA Education Chapter. On that day the Vice-President of South Sudan, and the Minister of General Education and Instruction rang the bell in Juba Boys Primary School. There has already been a near-doubling of outpatient admissions in the last weeks, likely from malaria infections or reinfections, Mr Oyens said. On 20 March 2020, all schools in South Sudan were closed and almost 2 million children were forced out of classes due to COVID-19 preventive measures. "I am so excited for completing my exams despite the long stay at home. He said the partnership reduced bureaucracy and improved service delivery.. But the countrywide reopening of schools in May 2021 is an opportunity to secure the future of children in South Sudan. So, my appeal will be to the parents across the entire country that all the children in this country must report back to school boys and girls together. Established in 2002, the GEM Report is an editorially independent report, hosted and published by UNESCO. It says the country now records a decline of three percent of cases daily. Our work on the Sustainable Development Goals. For more information about UNICEF and its work in South Sudanvisit:www.unicef.org/southsudan, Follow UNICEF South Sudan onTwitter,Facebook,Instagramand YouTube, UNICEF and WFP Reaffirm Support for Free Primary Education in South Sudan, UNICEF works with national and State health ministries, partners, and community health workers to ensure all eligible persons are vaccinated, What it takes UNICEF and education partners to preserve career aspirations for school children across South Sudan, A path to improved education in South Sudan, Time has come to reopen schools in South Sudan. Ensuring children resume schooling has important benefits beyond academic learning. Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, western media have been demanding in their reports that "Africa should be silent no more." Questionnaire - SSEC School Level assessment. UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. And we know this has not been a short period; fourteen months of children being out of school are long, said Ms. Hamida. SOUTH SUDAN Consolidated Emergency Report 2021 March 2022 A family in Bentiu, Unity State, transports their belongings after severe flooding made road travel impossible . Although South Sudan endorsed the Safe School Declaration in 2015, it has not been able to implement the guidelines fully and conduct the assessments due to lack of funds. Accelerated learning: the key to COVID catch-up? My plan for the exam is to study as much as possible, keep on reading every day and hope that I am ready for the examination, said Daniel, days after returning to school. This is our responsibility as parents to ensure that our children are encouraged and supported to go back to school, the minister stressed. Plot 21,P.O.BOX410 Everything must be done to avoid that the number of out-of-school children increases further. The closure ended up being a huge blow for education, but more than anything it turned into a child rights crisis. This builds on 11 years of Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF) support to national education coalitions for their engagement in education sector policy dialogue. Scholar: Africa is not a pawn. The Declaration is expected to also protect students, teachers, schools, and other learning institutions from some of the worst effects of armed conflicts. Schools in South Sudan are set to reopen nearly seven months after they were closed as part of the government's measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Business is resuming. UNDP Compound, Ministries Road In South Sudan, schools provide more than just academics. We must mobilize to ensure no one is left behind, said Jacqueline Weekers, Director of Migration Health for IOM. Both pupils and students were so happy celebrating school re-opening after lifting the lockdown, Your email address will not be published. COVID-19: South Sudans schools set to reopen, minister says, South Sudan confirms 72 more COVID-19 cases, South Sudan confirms its fourth Covid-19 case, South Sudan reports fifth confirmed COVID-19 case, Workers recover first bodies from collapsed mine in DR Congo, Egypt records 153 new COVID-19 cases,bringing the tally to 101,009, 2022 witnessed landmark setback for U.S. human rights: report, Africa marks 10-year anniversary of President Xis four-point proposal, 2023 marks a decade since Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to Africa. protection of civilian (PoC) and ad hoc IDP sites (South Sudan Education Cluster, n.d.), while also working to reopen schools in areas where the security situation had stabilized. A lot of the girls who got pregnant or were married off will most likely never return. Since most of those occupying the schools are armed forces, the Ministry of Defense as a key stakeholder was encouraged to commit themselves to the document. OCHA coordinates the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises. Occupying school is a thing of the past. . OCHA coordinates the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises. South Sudan's Ministry of General Education and Instruction has announced the reopening of both secondary and primary schools country-wide in the national capital Juba on Monday. The province is the largest recipient of the nutrition programme in South Africa, with a budget of more than R2 billion to cater for about 2.4 million learners across 5 400 . The Director of the La Salle School of Rumbek, Brother Joseph Alak, recently told Vatican News about what this school of 153 boys, aged 14 to 16, means to the people in post-war South Sudan. Seeing children at home idle is having a profound negative effect on children, especially girls that are being married off at a tender age," says Nathalina Samuel, a mother of seven children. The following three years of the GESP are focused on institutionalizing teacher training, school supervision, and expansion of secondary and technical education.
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