The schools in Pibor County of South Sudan are not functioning owing to the absence of teachers, among other problems, according to Joshua Konyi, the county commissioner.

Brigadier-General Joshua Konyi told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that all the eleven school in his county remained closed due to the recent insecurity within Jonglei State.

“We’re in a time of war. Education here is weak, because all the schools are closed. Some of the teachers went to Ethiopia, some went to Kenya and others to Uganda,” he said.

The county has 11 schools, including one secondary school, according to the official.

Konyi says he expects the schools to reopen sometime this year, but he doesn’t know when. He noted that he had spoken to UNICEF and Intersos organizations to help reopen the schools, also mentioning ACROSS organization might be able to help in Boma.

Also the official pointed to lack of instructional materials: “The situation is bad because there aren’t books. And none of the other things we have, including the new South Sudan curriculum was never brought to the county headquarters, so that has given difficulties.”

Compared to other parts of Jonglei State, Pibor County has been less directly affected by the conflict that erupted in December 2013, with armed forces in the county for the most part remaining uninvolved.

However, the county was at the center of an insurgency waged from mid-2012 through 2013 by the ‘Cobra faction’ led by David Yau-Yau, who demanded that the county be given separate status as South Sudan’s eleventh state, owing to the underdevelopment of the region. 

Related:

Jonglei ‘Cobra Faction’ says honoring truce (21 February)

Photo: Pibor County Commissioner Joshua Konyi (left), 6 August 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)