Educational officials in Jubek state says the continued conflict in South Sudan is contributing to the school drop out in the area.
Speaking to CRN, Jubek state director of planning, Emmanuel Lado says the nearly five year’s conflict has forced many parents to become unable afford paying their children’s school fees and charges. He adds that some school children find it difficult to move from home to school.
‘The dropout is due to the economic crisis because you that know that education has so many challenges. Students have daily needs and some of them are living far away from residential areas. They are forced to use public transport which in most cases is not affordable for the parents.’
Lado discloses that due to the conflict in parts of the country, many families have migrated to Juba. He says at the beginning of this academic year schools around Juba town have reported overcrowding having to cater for a number more than their limit. This has forced many children to drop out due to that reason’ he added.
‘I know all the primary schools that are supposed to have 40- 50 pupils are taking 100. Similarly, secondary schools have an enrolment beyond 72- 80 above the 50 students limit.’
The Deputy Head mistress of Juba One Boys primary school, Clementina Kiden Arkangelo however, highlights a different reason for the high school dropouts.
She states that many children are living with single parents which make it difficult for some of them to continue with their studies.
‘Many of them were killed. Sometimes they are left with single parents, either a mother or a father. If they remained with the father for example, sometimes he may settle with another wife. Therefore, the children of the late woman will just become dropouts because there is no one to take care of them’.
Kiden notes that Juba town is witnessing increase of the street children due to high school dropouts.
18 year old Emmanuel Wani dropped from primary four since 2013. He says he decided to work as a water seller in order to support his single mother who is jobless.
‘I cannot be able to go back to school because I am the one helping my mother. If I go to school who will help my mother in the village? I am working here in Juba in order to send money to help her survive. If I go back to school she will suffer.’
Meanwhile, the issue of school drop outs is huge according to child focused NGO’s.
A UNICEF report says, 72 percent of pupils drop out of school before finishing primary education. The UN Agency also says South Sudan continue to be the country with the highest number of primary school drop outs in the world due to the ongoing conflict and other factors.