The Ministry of Finance and Planning released one billion South Sudan Pounds to General Education and instructions for free primary education in South Sudan on Thursday.
The money is a capitation grant to implement free primary and secondary education as declared by president Salva Kiir earlier this month.
In a statement, the Minister of General Education and instruction Awut Deng Achuil confirmed to Media that the Ministry of Finance has paid one billion SSP grant capitation to its account.
Awut says her ministry has started processing the payment of the Capitation grant to all the Public primary schools in the states across the country.
She stated that the capitation grant for public secondary schools will be paid in by the United Kingdom, their implementing partner.
“We are now processing payment of capitation grants to all the primary schools and our UK partners will simultaneously pay the capitation grants to the state secondary schools,” Achuil stated
The minister added that the funds will be paid directly to the schools through their bank accounts and urged school administrators to use the capitation grant payment guidelines.
Minister Awut asks the recipients of the funds to stop demanding fees in any form whether registration fees or school fees from parents.
She says any school that will not follow the guidelines for use of the capitation grants will be penalized by removing them from accessing the capitation grants.
“All recipient public schools of this grant must not request parents to pay fees for registration of the children or demand any other payment from parents, the Minister added.
The Minister calls on the administrations of the beneficiary schools to prepare and submit satisfactory reports to the Education Authorities.
On 06th February 2023, President Salva Kiir declared free primary Education and directed the Ministry of General Education, the Ministry of Finance, and the development partners to implement the constitutional requirement of free education in all public schools.