Titi Foundation Implements P2E Accelerated Education Program for Out-of-School Youth in Eastern Equatoria
By Roselyn Oboy
Titi Foundation has launched the Pathway to Empowerment (P2E) project in Eastern Equatoria State to provide accelerated secondary education opportunities for out-of-school and vulnerable youth.
Speaking at Dr. John Garang Memorial Secondary School in Torit, Alima Khamisa, Technical Lead for Education at Titi Foundation, said the six-year project is funded by the Mastercard Foundation and combines education, skills development, gender, and protection interventions.
The initiative is being implemented in 14 locations across seven states in South Sudan.In Eastern Equatoria, the project is being implemented in Torit, Magwi, and Nimule, targeting refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons, and members of host communities.
The project aims to enroll 70 percent female and 30 percent male learners who dropped out of school due to conflict, displacement, poverty, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and other socio-economic challenges.
Khamisa said the education component offers an Accelerated Secondary Education programme that compresses the four-year secondary school curriculum into two years. Level Five combines Senior One and Senior Two, while Level Six covers Senior Three and Senior Four. Classes are conducted in the afternoon to accommodate learners’ schedules.
She explained that the programme is being implemented in existing government, community, and private secondary schools, as the project focuses on rehabilitating existing facilities rather than constructing new ones.
According to Khamisa, five learning centres were selected following assessments carried out in the target counties. A total of 35 tutors were recruited and trained on the use of the condensed curriculum during a five-day training facilitated by master trainers from the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction.
Enrollment of learners began in the first week of June, while classes officially commenced in mid-June and are currently underway.
The Foundation has also started distributing scholastic materials to learners. Distribution has been completed at Dr. John Garang Secondary School in Torit and will continue at Torit Day Secondary School, Bishop Akio Secondary School, Magwi Secondary School, and Nimule Secondary School.
Khamisa further said the project is establishing and training Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), School Management Committees, and Community Education Committees to strengthen community participation and support the effective implementation of the program.
The P2E project aims to provide vulnerable young people with a second chance to complete their secondary education, acquire skills, and improve their future livelihood opportunities.
