Academic Year 2022/2023 Begins!

Schools across South Sudan have reopened for Academic Year 2022/2023. All children across the country are expected to report back to school today, 9/05/2022!

Children have been out of school for close to three months after the academic year, 2021 ended in March this year. The school closure was also prolonged due to examinations for candidate classes where leaners in non-candidate classes were asked to stay at home to make enough space for candidates to sit their exams.  COVID-19 has also caused significant changes in the academic calendar, the academic year which would normally start in February has now started in May for the year 2022/2023.

When schools are closed, many children don’t get the opportunity to study at home due to household responsibilities and lack of power and lighting. The reopening is therefore an opportunity for learning to continue.

“For me when schools are closed, I cannot study because I cannot find the right time to study. There is always work to be done at home throughout the day and when it reaches evening, I am too tired so I cannot study. I always prefer when schools are open because I can study at the school before coming home” Lucy, Senior 2 learner.

In line with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction’s (MoGEI’s) 2021 directive, all learners including learners with disability, pregnant and nursing leaners should be allowed to enrol in school and sit examinations. School Management Committees (SMCs) and school communities are called upon to ensure that all learners are allowed to enrol at the school of their choice, and that they are not discriminated against.

MoGEI echoes the 2012 General Education Act that spells out that “no leaner shall be refused access to education or final examination…”

Considering that the Ministry of Health has not declared the country COVID-19 free, all schools are called upon to follow the preventative measures against COVID-19 as advised by the COVID-19 task force, including regular hand washing and wearing of masks. Parents are encouraged to ensure that their children have face masks as they return to school while teachers are called upon to ensure that classes are not crowded.

After a long time out of school, we call upon parents to allow their children to report to school immediately so that they don’t miss out on instructional time.

Education is a right of every child! GESS therefore calls upon all stakeholders to ensure that all girls and boys, children with disabilities and nursing and pregnant learners return to school and are given equal opportunity to study.

We produced episodes of our radio programme ‘Our School’ on Benefits of an Educated Woman and Enrolment of Pregnant and Breastfeeding Learners. You can listen to the programmes here; https://girlseducationsouthsudan.org/radio-programmes/

We wish all learners a happy and successful study term!

Categorised in: Girls' Education, Social & Behavioural Change Communication