The National Education Coalition, represented by the National Coordinator, had the privilege to join the Vice President H.E. Hussein, Minister of General Education and Instruction Hon. Dr. Kuyok, Minister of Health Hon. Sarah Cleto, Excellencies Ambassadors of the UK and Canada, other dignitaries, and the Girl’s Education South Sudan (GESS) team in an event celebrating the legacy of the programme in South Sudan.
The programme was launched about 13 years ago by the Government of South Sudan in partnership with the British Government. Since then, other partners including the EU, US, Norway, Canada, and Sweden joined in supporting its implementation. The event highlighted the significant achievements accomplished by the programme, particularly in advancing education opportunities for girls and children with disabilities.
Although the programme officially closed yesterday, it was encouraging to learn about its successor, the Education for All South Sudan (EFASS) programme, which is expected to begin later this year.
In the remarks delivered on behalf of the National Education Coalition, emphasis was placed on the need for the government to fulfill its commitments to education as outlined in Article 29 of the Constitution (2011, as amended in 2016) and the General Education Act of 2012 (Chapter V). The Act commits the government to invest at least 10% of the national budget into General Education. However, this commitment continues to fall short, as reflected in the current allocation for FY 2025/26, where only 1.7% has been allocated.
The Coalition also urged the government to provide and safeguard the Capitation Grant, as it remains a critical financing mechanism for addressing barriers to the delivery of quality and inclusive education across the country.
