National MP Victor Omuho Ohidei has appealed for US$10 million to support the completion of Imehejek National Secondary School in Eastern Equatoria State.
Ohidei of SPLM-IG and who hails from Imehejek, made the appeal during his visit to the school on Wednesday.
Imehejek National Secondary School was established in 1959 and began operations in 1960 as an elementary institution; but was destroyed during the Sudan conflict and the recent 2013 to 2018 conflict.
Education partners renovated parts of school and used it as a teacher training center, but that collapsed due to lack of support.
Ohidei applauded the National Government for elevating Imehejek Secondary to a national status, saying it will help improve the education in the area.
“The funds got finished before we could get here, but we hope to get more to complete this structure. I am very happy with the minister for having given us a second national secondary school. My appeal is to let us complete the structures which need at least US$5 million,” he said.
Imehejek County Education Director Paterno Iruhi Onuha cited lack of trained teachers and called for collective efforts to improve the national school.
He said many teachers deployed to the school had quit due to low and delayed salaries.
“Imehejek National Secondary School is suffering from lack of teachers. It has only volunteers supported by a trader and I think this needs efforts by the Government and the community. Some teachers were also appointed but did not turn up,” he explained.
A local youth, Martin Peter Longoro, decried the lack of secondary schools in the area.
He called for collective lobbying for secondary schools since most primary leavers were stranded because their parents could not afford sending them to distant schools.
“Most children who finish Primary Eight were always stranded due to lack of secondary schools in the area, because most families cannot afford sending their children to distant schools,” he said.