Wendy, a 16-year-old student who completed the recent Senior 4 exams in Juba. WFP Eastern Africa - 2022 Regional Achievements & Outlook, UNICEF South Sudan Appeal, 2023 Revision 1 (April 2023), WFP South Sudan Situation Report #310, 28 February 2023, Culture, Context and Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons from South Sudan. Describing the "joy" felt by children and aid workers as classrooms reopened on Monday after more than 14 months of COVID . The whole school erupted into hugging, cheering, and overall joy, knowing that they can join the university and get their degrees. However, schools are closed until September, as one of the measures to halt the spread of COVID-19. Ensuring children resume schooling has important benefits beyond academic learning. This has been due to a growing consensus that both the formal and informal economies cannot afford to remain shut down indefinitely. Juba, South Sudan, After 14 months, schools in South Sudan reopen, Welcome to the United Nations country team website of South Sudan. I am excited to hear schools will reopen and soon we shall get to reunite with friends and teachers to learn more," Lawrence said. IFP accuse ANC of interfering in the management of school nutrition The party has accused the ANC of interfering in the management of the programme instead of allowing the provincial Education Department to seek solutions to the problems. We are reopening today and we are reopening because we have children at home. By Deng Machol Juba - On Thursday, the Government of Norway has provided NOK 90 million [$10 million] to support a safe return to school for children in restive South Sudan. South Sudan's 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. 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. Happy and excited, students jumped with joy after dusting the last examination paper- the day they have been looking forward to for four years is finally over. SSBC News. We dont have a school day to lose, the children have already lost so many. . I am excited to hear schools will reopen and soon we shall get to reunite with friends and teachers to learn more," Lawrence said. The first two years of the GESP are framed as a transitional plan that is expected to rapidly increase enrollment along with building new infrastructure, supplying basic teaching and learning materials, regularizing teacher salary and training teachers to cope with the increased enrollment. And the states government should work with national ministry of General Education to develop the education sector, he added. 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. School feeding in Sudan: Before the coronavirus and beyond "I am happy that schools are going to reopen. Time has come to reopen schools in South Sudan - UNICEF Girls at the WFP-backed Mayo school in Juba are expected to attend 80 percent of classes. 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. John is one of the beneficiaries of school materials handed 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. Sadly, on these fronts, the evidence is overwhelming. 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. The Minister of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) has just announced that all schools in South Sudan will reopen on 3 May 2021. Emotions of joy and relief ran high at OR Tambo International Airport, as family, friends and . Last update: 21 April 2022. Joy in South Sudan, as schools reopen after 14-month COVID lockdown 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. Allowing learning to take place and protection of children during learning in South Sudan is [paramount]," VP Ayii asserted. The reopening will happen in phases. In South Sudan, schools provide more than just academics. "I am happy that schools are going to reopen. Multiple observers said schools re-opening would reduce risky pregnancy and early marriages among school girls. The warning comes ahead of the upcoming rainy season, whichbrings with it a higher risk of cholera, malaria and respiratory infections. I work in journalism / media 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. South Sudan: With guns silent, a school for boys arises 8 Facts about Education in South Sudan - The Borgen . There has already been a near-doubling of outpatient admissions in the last weeks, likely from malaria infections or reinfections, Mr Oyens said. For Daniel, Wendy and other candidates sitting their final exams in early 2021, education resumed last year in October 2020. Details: WebIn South Sudan, 51 percent of children are out of school. Usually, we look forward to the holidays, but suddenly our holiday became so long," Wendy said. 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. 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 supplies, thermometers, reusable masks and menstrual hygiene management kits. Fifty-eightwomen and children of more than 600 who were abducted last year during vicious intercommunal fighting in South Sudan, have been reunited with their families, the UN Spokesperson told reporters on Monday. 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. When schools in South Sudan shut down in mid-March 2020, forcing 2 million children out of school, we knew very little about Covid-19 and its impact on children. "COVID-19 is still with us but we have decided to reopen schools . Education partners were alarmed by children who dropped out of schools, primarily teenagers who got marriages during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We provide you with the latest news and videos straight from the entertainment industry. I believe we are going to excel in the exams, and I am glad we have made it," Windy says with a grin. Prolonged school closures are likely to cause students to regress academically. Schools protect learners from harmful cultural practices and work as an access point for services including water, sanitation and hygiene and food. In her remarks, Save the Children's Country Director, Rama Hansraj said there is a need for strong participation of the government to enforce the document. Bells are ringingin #southsudan to mark the reopening of schools. The schools were shut down in March 2020 and the government reopened schools in phases with final year students allowed to attend classes in October 2020. 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. COVID-19 is still with us but we have decided to reopen schools and will strictly follow COVID-19 preventative measures in the schools, Akol told journalists in Juba during the official reopening for learners. Charity and Empowerment Foundation with support from Save the Children invited stakeholders for the official launch of the 'Safe Schools Declaration Guidelines' for South Sudan on Monday. "To save education, we need to stop the violence, allocate enough budget for education, provide free learning materials, expand adult education and allow all children to complete at least free primary and secondary education. 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. "We are here to declare our commitment to practice the safe school declaration," said Vice President Ayii after handing over copies of the guidelines. Parents are also thrilled to see their children returning to school. Learn about employment opportunities across the UN 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. (END). He noted that schools will only operate at half capacity as preventive measures against COVID-19. Plot 21,P.O.BOX410 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. Unfortunately, some of them were going through many difficulties and challenges, as we all know. 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. Schools finally reopened their doors after more than 14 months of closures because of COVID-19. UNICEF and UNESCO are urging donors and partners to step forward to support the reopening of schools in South Sudan. 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. We must mobilize to ensure no one is left behind, said Jacqueline Weekers, Director of Migration Health for IOM. 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. Groundwater, making the invisible visible. Their mental health deteriorates. Nathalina Samuel is happy that her seven children can resume their education. Children are safer inside the school walls than outside. It was good enough for us to finish," Daniel Athien (17), a senior 4 student,joyfully expressed after putting down his pencil. Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005 Convention), Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (UNEVOC), Observatory on Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Report on Public Access to Information (SDG 16.10.2) 2021, Reshaping Policies for Creativity - 2022 Report, UNESCO Director-General's Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity 2020, UNESCO Director-General's Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity 2022, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC), UNESCO's International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development - Global Report 2021-2022. And yet increasingly, evidence points to harm being done to children by not being in school. Makuei also said restrictions on working hours had been lifted and that offices will open from 8am to 5pm beginning next week. WFP Eastern Africa - 2022 Regional Achievements & Outlook, UNICEF South Sudan Appeal, 2023 Revision 1 (April 2023), WFP South Sudan Situation Report #310, 28 February 2023, Culture, Context and Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons from South Sudan. I work for an international organization 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. As schools have now resumed, it is important to monitor how many children effectively returned to the education facilities. Schools are places for children to be safe and to be protected and also to access basic services, school feeding and so on.. 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. I work for a private sector company Sources say the reopening of schools could be . On 20 March 2020, all schools in South Sudan were closedand almost 2 million children were forced out of classes due toCOVID-19 preventive measures. Parents are also thrilled to see their children returning to school. UNICEF is working with the Ministry of General Education and Instructionto prepare schools for the reopening and we are excited to note that this year will be the first with the new South Sudan curriculum. There were tears of joy at OR Tambo International Airport today following the return of 52 South . UNICEF is committed to working with the ministry of education to ensure learning continues in the country. These incidents cumulatively affected more than 90,000 children. Watch on. The longer children are out of school, the harder it is to get them back. KEMPTON PARK - The last batch of South Africans who were stuck in war-ton Sudan have safely landed. March 25, 2023 marks the 10th anniversary since Chinese President Xi Jinping made the four-point proposal in Africa. The South Sudan government in partnership with GESS will pay capitation grants, in addition to cash transfers, to girls at levels from primary five (5) to senior fouer (4), Minister disclosed. 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. UNICEF and UNESCO welcome the decision to reopen schools in South Sudan 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. In South Sudan, schools provide more than just academics. "I can't wait to get the results and join the university. 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. Phase 1 includes the candidate classes, Primary 8 and Senior 4, and will start the first week of October 2020. I work for a research organization In a UNICEF letter-writing workshop, out-of-school students poured out their hearts to their instructors. "To ensure what is in the book is understood and put into practice for the sake of our children, dedicated individuals must be tasked to disseminate the guidelines [and] communities need to be included in the safe school campaigns because, during floods, schools are often occupied by the affected communities," she stressed. People must be able to earn a living. These dangers included early pregnancies, child labour, recruitment into illegal groups and mental anguish. Business is resuming. September 24, 2020. Monday, August 30, 2021. Required fields are marked *, Receive news updates via email from this site. 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 pandemic has left the most vulnerable and marginalized even further off track when it comes to access to quality education. JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN 22 SEPTEMBER 2020 - UNICEF and UNESCO welcome the decision of the Government to start reopening of schools in South Sudan. South Sudan launches school reopening across the country Save the Children, partners and the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs express commitment to keep schools safe and urged all parties to the armed conflict to refrain from actions that impede childrens access to education. By John Garang Ayii Riak, Juba, South Sudan. On April 21, 2021, Save the Children in collaboration with national partner CEF lobbied the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs to express political commitment to advance the principles of safe school declaration by unconditionally prohibiting the military from occupying schools, "There is a need to domesticate the Safe School Declaration," Rama said. Even the teachers are ready to go back to work. (Its) about controlling malaria, its about controllingany measles outbreaks, its about providing clean water to kids, he explained, before highlighting the multiple risks that children face. Lawrence Mathew (15), a senior three studentsays 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.". Furthermore, South Sudan Ministry of Education policy framework has been developed and is now before the cabinet for approval. Some of the previous easing of restrictions included reduction of the curfew period, resumption of regional flights and the reopening of markets, shops and bars. 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. Monday 3 May was a special day for millions of children in South Sudan. She caution students to keenly observed health prevention measures in class. PDF South Sudan - Unicef In South Sudan, about 3 in 5 children are not in school. Even the teachers are ready to go back to work. JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN 22 SEPTEMBER 2020 - UNICEF and UNESCO welcome the decision of the Government to start reopening of schools in South Sudan. With the closure of schools, from one day to another, the number of out of school children in South Sudan had almost doubled. SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, Cat II Intergovernmental meeting, other than international conference of States, SDG 4 Regional Steering Committee Meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean. This document is inclusive of peacebuilding education, life skills, citizenship in the curriculum. In the face of this unprecedented public health crisis, it is true that families, communities and governments are averse to making any call that might bring harm to children. This is a great day for children in South Sudan who can soon resume their learning and continue planning for their future. United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office School reopens in South Sudan after more than year of closure Monday 3 May was a special day for millions of children in South Sudan. Fewer that one in 10 children has access to child protection services, the veteran UNICEF worker said, noting that between January and March this year, the agency scaled up treatment to more than 50,000 children who were suffering from severe acute malnutrition. 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. 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. UNICEF is working with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction to prepare schools for the reopening and we are excited to note that this year will be the first with the new South Sudan curriculum. The education system in the country consists of 8,000 primary schools (grades 1-8), 120 secondary schools (grades 9-12) and one university. The remote learning programme remained a temporary solution and the need for the reopening of schools became imminent. The state building and peace building efforts of the national plans put high demand on the education system to expand fast, reduce inequity, and provide appropriate teaching. school building disinfection; guidelines, policies and safety measures to reopen schools ; back-to-school campaign to encourage students to return to school ; 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. COVID-19: South Sudan's schools set to reopen, minister says 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. OCHA coordinates the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises. I understand that parents might be nervous, but I urge all caregivers to trust that their children are safer at school. Internally displaced persons, returnees and conflict-affected populations already living in dire conditions may soon face even greater danger to their lives and health due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the onset of the rainy season and floods, the UN agency said. Launch of the project "Boosting digital competencies of teachers in Chile". Together with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction, UNICEF, UNESCO and education partners have made a plan for a safe reopening of schools. Schools in South Sudan were shut down for 14 months to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our task is to inform people about the dangers of occupying civilian facilities, Gai said. [Photo: Radio Tamazuj, South Sudan launches school reopening across the country. Happy and excited, students jumped with joy after dusting the last examination paper- the day they havebeen looking forward to for fouryears is finally over. For girls, especially those who are displaced or living in poor households, the risks are even higher. 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. To addresses schoolchildren's food and nutritional requirements during the COVID-19 crisis, WFP is currently providing take-home rations in lieu of the in . Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. 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. All schools have been closed since March 2020 due to COVID-19, keeping 2 million children out of school. "I can't wait to get the results and join the university. Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, western media have been demanding in their reports that "Africa should be silent no more." With the closures of schools an additional 2 million children were out of school. I am very excited to enrol for my bachelor's degree in logistics studies; it is so appealing.". And to the children, who have advocated for a return to school so that they can resume with their education and meet their teachers and peers again, we say that their message was heard; they also have a role to play to keep their schools safe. "The exams were fair, not hard, not easy, but it was fair. 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. You can sense the jubilation at Development Secondary School in Juba as senior four students braced the blistering heat to celebrate the completion of their secondary school examinations. 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 crisis in South Sudan has impeded education for most of the countrys children. 6,385 Views. 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. As South Sudan starts reopening schools, UNMISS peacekeepers from The Safe School Declaration has been developed in the form of Schools as "Zones of Peace.". Numerous reports speak about child marriages and early pregnancies due to girls being out of school and increased gender-based violence. But capacity building efforts of the government have been interrupted by conflict. She called for wider collaborations among actors to create a conducive environment for learning in South Sudan. The reopening will happen in phases. Daniel Athien wrote his senior 4 exams during the pandemic and is excited to join the university. 2023 marks a decade since Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit to U.S. attempts to use Taiwan to contain China doomed to fail, Impact of Russia-Ukraine conflict on global supply chains, Pick a side and join the anti-Russia camp? On September 1, 2021, the Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs, Angelina Teny - in response to the letter written to her by Save the Children and CEF - ordered all military personnel and other armed groups to peacefully vacate all schools and other learning institutions currently under occupation to allow safe learning environment for children.