JUBA – The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Mangalla Payam of Central Equatoria State have appealed to the government and education partners in the country to provide assistance to the schools in the area.
Achol Tabitha Mabior, Headteacher of New Sudan Nursery & Primary School in Mangalla Breach, said most schools in the area were facing numerous challenges on daily basis.
“Being in a new place means a lot, as you can see now, there are structures put in place in terms of good classrooms,” she said.
She made the call during a visit by Darling Wisdom Academy School to Mangalla over the weekend. Darling Wisdom Academy is one of the primary schools located in the Rock City residential area of Juba.
“We are in the rainy season and whenever it rains it becomes difficult for the pupils and students to continue with classes simply because there are no good rooms,” she disclosed.
She said although some schools managed to put out the structures, they did not have desks for children to sit on during classes.
Most of the school children are unable to raise for themselves even exercise books due to their vulnerability. The environment of the school is not conducive for learning as the whole area is flooded with water.
Achol said the area becomes a big challenge to them the teachers and the pupils whenever it rains, adding that the majority of the teachers are volunteers as they working without being paid a salary.
Atem Deng Atem, Director for New Sudan Primary School (NSPS) Mangalla Breach, stressed the need for stakeholders in the country to provide the necessary support to the education sector.
He noted a serious shortage of teachers saying this happens because the teachers were neither being paid nor motivated.
“We need to help our teachers for them to continue with their profession so that our children get a good future,” Atem said.
He urged the children to work hard and not to be discouraged from learning under stress.
Last year in June, the extensive flooding in the country displaced thousands of people from Bor in Jonglei State to Mangalla Payam in Central Equatoria State.