Rumbek National Secondary School Reopens

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The Government of Lakes State officially reopened the Rumbek National Senior Secondary School yesterday after ordering its closure for five month due to student’s rampage and vandalism.

Speaking during the reopening ceremony, the student’s representative Mangar Mayen Makoi said that the school lacked a fence, enough learning space, sanitation block, lack of enough teachers, laboratory, fuel shortage to run the school generator and a clinic.

He urged both the Republic of South Sudan and Lakes State Government to provide these necessities for the smooth running of the national secondary school.

“Even the dormitories where students live are pathetic, we have a generator but no fuel. If you can donate 3 jerrycans of fuel, it can serve us until the end of this term,” Makoi said.

“There is political interference in this school which makes students to strike. The students are not troublemakers your Excellency but some external elements lead some students astray,” Makoi added.

Lakes State Governor Hon. Chol Tong Mayay urged Rumbek National secondary school students to distance themselves from politicians who visit them with unclear agendas to affect their studies.

Tong promised that the State government will sponsor any student from the school who will be among the top ten candidates in the secondary examination results to join Universities. He urged the students to restore the glory of Rumbek Secondary school of being popular similar to the times when they were part of Sudan.

“We hope that in the national examinations, Rumbek will be leading in the first term in the Ten States of South Sudan. That will really motivate us as a government to help you. I have promised that if you will be among the top ten, the State Government will sponsor you to study at the University,” the Governor echoed.

The school headmaster Mr. Abel Manyuon Jok urged both the State government and Lakes State Ministry of Education to have concerted efforts in building more classrooms and to protect the school compound from unauthorized people.

Jok revealed that, “Rumbek secondary lacks proper infrastructure which was completely destroyed during the strike. There is no furniture, and about 1,749 students lack accommodation materials.  Most of the students are sharing a compound with the University of Rumbek.”

The reopening of Rumbek National secondary school was attended by various Lakes State government officials; SPLA officials and representatives from the United Nation Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) as well all UN agencies.

In August 2011, Rumbek National secondary school students went on rampage, destroying the Lakes State Ministry of Education assets. The protest was planned due to lack of enough teaching staff in the school, ignorance by the Government of South Sudan specially the Ministry of General Education who were accused of not equipping Rumbek secondary with relevant materials.

Mr. Daniel Ayual Makoi, the Lakes State Deputy Governor who also served as Minister of Education in the State disclosed that he pardoned the students who destroyed the ministry’s assets. “I have forgiven you today for the mistakes you made and from now onwards we will begin a new chapter of accountability.”