British Council Launches School Leadership Programme In South Sudan

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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The United Kingdom (UK)’s international cultural relations body –the British Council is implementing the School Leadership Mentoring Programme under the New Schools Programme in South Sudan beginning from January 2012 to March 2015, the Council’s project delivery manager for South Sudan has disclosed.

The Council’s Project Delivery Manager for South Sudan Ms. Foda Michael disclosed the plan after a meeting with Eastern Equatoria State (EES) Education Minister and Director for Quality Promotion and Innovation last Monday in Torit.

She disclosed that after South Sudan’s Independence, the Connecting Classrooms Programme which was first started in July 2009 has been renewed by the management to run for 3 years commencing January 2012 to March 2015.

Ms. Foda narrated that before the country became independent, the partnership was managed from an office in Khartoum by the British Council but when South Sudan gained her independent in July 2011, the Council formally opened an office in Juba.

Presently, the country has 4 clusters in the Connecting Classrooms Programme; two in Juba, one in Torit County in EES and Rumbek County in Lakes State respectively responsible for administering the programmes across the country.   

The EES Education Minister, Hon. Michael Lopuke Lotyam who spoke to Gurtong after the meeting graciously welcomed the British Council’s support. “I’m so glad and grateful to the UK Government for keenly investing in South Sudan especially in EES. On behalf of the State Government, I would like to register my special thanks to the British Council for the immense support.” 
  
Ms. Foda said that the British Council in South Sudan provides access to Teacher Training, English Language teaching, and related exams; at the same time enabling cultural exchange that builds capacity, understanding between the people of South Sudan and those of the UK. 
  
In order to attain sustainable education programmes in South Sudan, Ms. Foda said that the Council’s Management is committed to supporting the enhancement of education in South Sudan and other countries in which the British Council works, the Council applies supporting initiatives that enhance access to and improve the quality of primary, secondary and tertiary education. 
 
“We are committed to supporting the enhancement of education in the countries we work, through supporting initiatives that enhance access to and improve the quality of primary, secondary and tertiary education,” she emphasized. 

In order to strengthen education governance and build capacity and systems, the manager clarified that the Council works in collaboration with Government institutions and the civil society and revealed that their expertise includes schools improvement; teacher development and training; curriculum development; education planning and management; and education policy and reforms. 

“We work in partnership with government institutions and civil society in order to strengthen education governance and build capacity and systems,” she added. 

She expressed that, “we believe that a good future in this crowded, dangerous, beautiful world depends on people of all cultures living and working together on foundations of education, mutual understanding, respect and trust.”

School leadership is a key strand of British Council Connecting Classrooms programme. It is aimed at raising educational standards through sharing experiences in school leadership, increasing school leaders’ knowledge and understanding of contemporary approaches to leading education change in schools and institutions.

The programme help to promote intercultural dialogue through partnerships between schools in South Sudan, the UK and Sub-Saharan Africa. The expected result would be a better outcome for teachers, head teachers, young learners and communities.
  
The British Council is the UK ‘s international cultural relations organisation charged to provide educational support and build cultural relations. The Council works in 111 countries with over 10,000 leaders and decision-makers in various countries. The Council hopes to support the Government of South Sudan in its education sector and bring together partners who can fund and deliver the projects. 
  
Approach adopted by the British field managers 
As often, Ms. Foda explained, the process will start at gathering of relevant stakeholders and policy makers to discuss which aspects of school leadership (e.g. school governance, self evaluation, community engagement, managing staff, creating & communicating a vision, managing change, etc) they would want to be addressed in details adding that this is obviously specific to the individual needs and priorities of the country/region.

She said that the Council recommended that relevant school leaders need to be selected to work together saying each typical group will include one UK head teacher, 5 South Sudanese head teachers and a relevant South Sudan’s Education officials.

Foda elaborated that the UK head teacher will act as a mentor and be able to share good practice and the British Council’s key role is to facilitate and guide the South Sudanese to find appropriate ways forward to the needs identified.

She disclosed that the first mentoring training shall be jointly held in a selected location in South Sudan (Torit or Juba) then the selected participants shall be taken to UK to assemble for a second mentoring training and the third one shall then be held in Juba.