South Sudan’s National Education Coalition (NEC) has called for increased funding and greater accountability in Lakes State’s education sector, citing unpaid teachers, inadequate classrooms and shortages of learning materials.
The NEC made the call after a two-day advocacy meeting in Rumbek attended by about 50 teachers, parent-teacher association members, civil society representatives and education officials.
The meeting, supported by Oxfam under the DANIDA SP2 project, focused on community participation, locally led advocacy, and transparency and accountability in education financing.
Daniel Laat Kon, coordinator of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), said teachers are struggling because of unpaid salaries, while some pupils are studying in inadequate classrooms.
“Children go to school, but there are no teachers to teach them because teachers are not being paid,” Kon said.
He called for a forum bringing together government officials, communities, civil society groups and development partners to review the implementation of South Sudan’s free and compulsory education policy.
Gabriel Mabor Mangar, an education partner coordinator in Rumbek, urged donors and authorities to provide more teaching materials and support teacher training.
Participants also called for greater transparency in community contributions to schools and stronger accountability among school administrators.
South Sudan has declared education free and compulsory, but schools continue to face shortages of teachers, classrooms and learning materials. Limited funding and disruptions caused by conflict have also affected access to education.
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