The National Ministry of Finance and Planning has released one billion South Sudanese Pounds to support free education across the country.
This was revealed Thursday by the National Minister of General Education and Instruction Awut Deng Acuil during press conference.
“I am pleased to inform the public that the Ministry of Finance and Planning has paid the first tranche of the capitation grant, an amount of one billion South Sudanese Pound,”
President Salva Kiir issued order for free primary and secondary education in the country.
“All levels of government should ensure that free education policy is adhered to as provided by the law, including free registration of pupils and students,” said the presidential order read on state-owned radio SSBC.
Acuil said the Ministry of General Education and instruction, the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the development Partners are tasked with implementing the constitutional requirement of free education in all public schools.
She said that they are now processing payment of capitation grants to all the state primary schools, adding United Kingdom partners will simultaneously pay capitation grants to the state secondary schools.
The funds will be paid directly to schools through their bank accounts.
“Schools are expected to use the capitation grants’ payment guidelines, outlined in the enclosed document, in using the funds schools that do not follow the guidelines for the use of capitation grants will be penalized,” Acuil said.
Acuil said all recipient public schools of this grant must not request parents to pay fees for registration of the children or demand any other payments from parents.
She disclosed that schools will submit accountability reports to the education authorities.
“Failure to provide satisfactory accountability report means that schools will be removed from accessing capitation grants,” she said.
Awut thanked President Salva Kiir, the Vice President for Service Delivery Cluster, Minister of Finance and Planning and the United Kingdom Ambassador for their steadfast support to education in South Sudan.
The Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction Martin Tako Moi, said that anybody who will divert the funds will face the full force of the law.
Moi said that they will deal with people who might violate the order of free education and misuse of funds.
“We very seriously started this, some people always defile law and we will be inspecting the schools, there is no reason for them to take money from parents as school fees,” he said.
