Empowering education service delivery through improved Public Finance Management in South Sudan

In November 2023, Akoka County in Upper Nile State took a significant step forward in enhancing education delivery by establishing the County Education Transfer Monitoring Committee (CETMC).  

The committee comprises nine members, representing government through the county education department, the Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) state-level staff, and other stakeholders.  

The CETMC is the “offspring” of the Education Transfer Monitoring Committee (ETMC) that operates at the national level to help manage and advocate for proper management of public funds in the education sector – also termed ‘Public Financial Management’ (PFM), and a key activity of the GESS programme.  

There are three devolutions of the Education Transfer Monitoring Committees: 

1. The Education Transfer Monitoring Committee (ETMC) at the national level. 

1. The State Education Transfer Monitoring Committee (SETMC) at the state level. 

1. The County Education Transfer Monitoring Committee (CETMC) at the county level. 

In Upper Nile State, the SETMC was formed, and its members trained in August 2023 and then rolled down to nine counties from November 2023.  

The committee activities, including meetings, are normally chaired by the county education department. Their primary objectives include: 

• Overseeing all funds and resource transfers to the County Education Department. 

• Assisting the County Education Department in mobilizing funds for education service delivery.  

• Ensuring transparency, proper accountability, and management of all monetary transfers. 

• Development of plans and strategies to improve education in the county.  

Since its inception in November 2023, the CETMC of Akoka County has held eight meetings. In February, the committee identified four critical issues facing schools in Akoka County: low enrolment and poor attendance of learners; poor learning spaces in most schools; little support from parents towards education; and little knowledge of some teachers about the new curriculum.  

The committee agreed to lobby for resources to improve learning spaces in the identified schools, conduct a back-to-learning campaign in the two payams of Ayongdengdit and Bienythiang, and encourage schools with more than five new teachers to request orientation from the County Education Department and GESS.  

An image of a classroom in Akoka county, Upper Nile State before improvement

“We have worked hard to improve learning spaces in Pieldiarowei and Ayongdengdit Primary Schools through our own resources,” said the County Education Director of Akoka County. In February 2024, the CETMC in collaboration with the County Education Office agreed to relocate Pieldiarowei Primary School to higher land, since the old site is prone to flooding. Facing insufficient funds, the committee successfully implemented a contribution plan where parents were asked to contribute local materials like poles while the County Education Office allocated 5,000,000 SSP, and purchased 18 chairs, six blackboards and six plastic tables for the school. The money and the local materials contributed by the parents were used to establish two blocks of three classrooms. Additionally, the committee oversaw the construction of four classrooms using local materials for Ayongdengdit Primary School.  

Recognizing the importance of adherence to delivering the new curriculum, the CETMC encouraged all head teachers to request basic orientation for their new teachers. Three schools have already put their request in, and the Committee will soon identify an individual to facilitate the training.  

To improve the enrolment and attendance of learners in the county, the CETMC organised a back-to-learning campaign in Beinythiang and Wunthow Payams. Community mobilisation activities took place over three days in each community, encouraging parents to send their children to school, including girls and children and young people with disabilities. As a result of the campaign, the number of learners registered and attending classes regularly has increased in the schools. For example, before the campaign, Bienythiang Secondary School had 136 students attending out of 200 registered students however, in June, enrolment had increased to 456 (118 girls and 338 boys) and regular attendance is averaging 430 students. 

Students in an improved classroom

In the CETMC’s June 2024 meeting, the members agreed to monitor enrolment and attendance. A committee at the County Education office was tasked to visit all the schools to verify enrolment, attendance, and the functionality of the School Management Committees (in primary schools) and Boards of Governors (in secondary schools), as well as encourage parental contributions to education delivery. This committee is expected to present their findings to the CETMC for discussion in the next meeting.  

Through the collective efforts of the CETMC, Akoka County has made significant strides in improving parental participation in education provision, school infrastructure, and enrolment and attendance of learners. This collaborative approach underscores the transformative power of community engagement and proactive leadership in public financial management to advance education.  

GESS continues to work closley with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction to strengthen PFM from the national level to the state level to improve the education sector in South Sudan.  

Categorised in: Capitation Grants, Girls' Education, Human Interest Story, Public financial management, Quality Education