Japan’s Support To Education In South Sudan

The Japanese government has affirmed its commitment to support education in South Sudan.

Through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan has announced that it will offer scholarships to teachers in South Sudan to sharpen their skills in Japan.

The Japanese Ambassador to Sudan Wada Akino said in Torit that the Japanese Government is paying great attention to the role played by teachers in improving education in the semi-autonomous region after a devastating civil war.

He spoke during the launch of the “Strengthening Teaching in Mathematics and Science Education in Southern Sudan (SMASESS)” project at Dr John Garang Memorial School.

“JICAsupports the Government of Southern Sudan to advance its syllabus by improvising necessary teaching kits and equipping teachers with new teaching methodologies through the Directorate of Quality Promotion and Innovation under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology at all levels”, noted the Ambassador.

The Education Assistance Consultant at JICA Godfrey Mijjo told Gurtong that JICA came in to intervene in implementing and facilitating the newly – adopted semi-autonomous country’s education curriculum.

“ We seek to do this by re-establishing and consolidating possible quality education of the country because the Government of Southern Sudan had shortcomings like teaching kits and materials in the aftermath of the civil war”, said Mijjo.

He said it is important to establish a training centre in South Sudan, possibly in Juba, in order to reduce time and resource wastage in traveling abroad in the near future.

The Director for Quality Promotion and Innovation in the State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Luka Mareng said the Ministry projects that by 2030 the state will be able to manufacture its local products using science like in neighbouring Kenya and Uganda.

The Eastern Equatoria State Education Minister Michael Lopuke Lotyam thanked the Japanese Government for her generosity not only to the Government of Eastern Equatoria State but entire South Sudan.

“One of the strategies my Ministry has been implementing as part of resource development is in-service training of teachers so that quality teaching is attained”, he said.