Numbers

Last week I attended an education workshop with Diane and the Yei Girls Boarding Secondary School headmistress, Rita. It was held in the South Sudan capitol of Juba. Approximately 100 people attended.

There were educators from Juba University, representatives from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, project managers from other NGO's. A variety of people from the education sector in South Sudan focused for 3 days on how to train, and retain, quality teachers. For obvious reasons, quality teachers are important. But for a place like South Sudan emerging from war, the statistics compel us to stay the course and work toward scaling up the educational systems. To improve the statistics, attention must continuously be given to producing quality graduates who become quality teachers.

Here are some of the South Sudan numbers provided during the workshop:

According to 2008 data provided by EMIS, 1,327,892 pupils were enrolled in 3,152 schools.
398,536 pupils were learning under trees.
26,438 teachers provided instruction.
Less than 40% were professionally trained.
Less than 7% are female.

To increase the number of trained teachers, the following programs have been implemented:
1) Pre-service national teacher training institutes (TTI)
2) In Service trainings
3) Fast track teacher training program (FTTP)
4) Accelerated Learning Program
5) Intensive English Course for teachers
6) Distance education

The Government of South Sudan (GOSS) is moving to upgrade the performance of students and teachers.

NESEI is here to help. We join in the effort to produce strong, new leaders.

From Yei Town,
Anita