Northern Bahr El Ghazal directs free registration of learners

By Hou Akot Hou

The Northern Bahr El Ghazal State Minister of General Education and Instruction Santino Bol Akok has directed management of all primary and secondary schools to enroll learners for free.

This followed President Salva Kiir’s recent order for free universal education for both primary and secondary schools across the country.

“Education was declared free years back, the little money that has been collected was called parental contributions. Our people just misunderstand issues and begin doing things contrary. Now that the government has declared education free it has to be implemented,” Akok told journalists in Aweil town on Thursday.

The national ministry of general education and instruction directed all schools to heed to the presidential directive after the ministry of finance and planning released one billion South Sudanese Pounds to roll out free education.

 “I would like to assure the educators that anything which you collect from the parents cannot be justified as school fees. Unless something is wanting or lacking in the school which you need the parents to contribute to in fixing it,” Akok said

In the previous years, teachers have been faulted by the parents for not teaching effectively due to low pay.

Akok said the national ministry of general education is going to address the teachers’ pay through a new scheme.

“There is something called capitation grant, this is meant to cover up for teachers’ pay and all teachers will be paid to redress their complaints,” he said.