A back-to-school campaign was over the weekend launched in Poktap town in Duk County, Jonglei State, to encourage the enrollment of learners as schools reopen this week.
The campaign was organized by the county education officials with support from the NGO Christian Mission for Development (CMD).
The organization’s project field supervisor, Peter Pal Chol, told Radio Tamazuj that the campaign targets 25,000 learners in the county.
“This campaign is aimed at encouraging all the stakeholders to allow children to go to schools without discrimination on the basis of being disabled, a boy or a girl,” he said. “This academic year, we expect 25,000 to be enrolled including 11,000 girls.”
Chol emphasized the importance of equitable access to education and said his organization will continue supporting schools to sustain quality learning.
Abuk Sarah Malual, a secondary school student, said the school resumption was long overdue.
“We were worried that schools were not going to be reopened because resumption was supposed to be in April. As a female, I encourage parents to allow their daughters to go to school. An educated girl is of service to the community,” she stressed.
The parent’s representative, David Chol Gach, said the community has understood the importance of education.
“Nowadays, we have known the importance of education. No one opposes school for even girls. So, we appeal for support,” Gach said.