Tutors Pledge Support for School Dropouts Returning to Class in Magwi County

Tutors,learners and Titi Foundation for the group photo after completion of the scholastic materials (photo:Kidega Livingstone

By Kidega Livingstone

Tutors under the Accelerated Secondary Education Programme (ASEP) have pledged to provide academic and emotional support to school dropouts returning to the classroom, many of whom are young mothers balancing childcare with their education.

The programme is being implemented through the Pathways to Empowerment for Youth in South Sudan (P2E) project, a six-year education, skills development and protection initiative funded by the Mastercard Foundation. In Eastern Equatoria State, the project is being implemented by Titi Foundation in Torit and Magwi counties. Magwi County currently has 35 learners enrolled in the accelerated programme.

Speaking during the distribution of scholastic materials at Magwi Secondary School on Thursday, tutor Agnes Amero said many learners require additional support because they have spent years out of school.

“Some of the learners take longer to understand lessons because they have been out of school for a long time. Many of them are single mothers who have to care for their children while attending classes,” Amero said.

She explained that tutors have adopted flexible teaching methods to accommodate learners with children.

“When I am teaching, I give them opportunities to balance their academic work with caring for their children. It is challenging because some babies are still very young, and even when they have babysitters, they remain responsible for them while trying to concentrate in class,” she added.

Another tutor, Ochan Walter James, said although the learners are committed to their studies, time management remains a major challenge due to their family responsibilities.

“Most of our learners are single mothers. Managing their time between childcare and education is difficult, but we are committed to supporting them throughout the programme. As tutors, we are ready to dedicate our time to ensure they succeed,” James said.

Titi Foundation’s Technical Lead for Education, Alima Kemisa, said the organization continues to work closely with school authorities to improve learning outcomes under the Accelerated Secondary Education Programme.

“We met with the management of the Accelerated Secondary Education Programme to discuss the progress of learners in Magwi County and oversee the distribution of scholastic materials to support their studies,” Kemisa said.

The learners received scholastic materials aimed at reducing barriers to education and improving attendance and performance in class.

The Pathways to Empowerment for Youth in South Sudan (P2E) project is a six-year initiative running from March 2025 to March 2031, funded by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by War Child Canada in partnership with Windle Trust International, Human Development Consortium (HDC), Titi Foundation, and UNHCR. The consortium also works with 14 refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) to expand access to education, skills development, protection services and economic opportunities for vulnerable youth, including refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons and host communities across South Sudan.

The Accelerated Secondary Education Programme is designed to give young people who dropped out of school a second chance to complete their secondary education, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue higher education, vocational training and sustainable livelihoods. In South Sudan, where conflict, displacement, poverty and early marriage continue to disrupt education, the programme offers renewed hope for hundreds of vulnerable youth seeking to rebuild their futures.