BY MALISH VALENTINE|TORIT
Youth in Hatire Payam of Ikwoto County, Eastern Equatoria State, on Monday appealed to the State Ministry of Education to recruit experienced teachers to improve the quality of education at Hatire Secondary School.
Speaking to Radio Emmanuel 89 FM, Mr. Sadik Lokang Peter, a youth leader in Hatire Payam, said learners at the school are currently being taught by “O” level graduates from the community due to a shortage of qualified teachers.
“We need support from the government to provide us with qualified teachers. Our secondary school is operating but has very limited staff. Only a few community members are helping, yet Katire Secondary School is the only secondary school here. There are teachers’ quarters, but no qualified teachers are staying there.
The school has eight teachers who are Senior Four leavers. We need the Ministry of Education to provide quality teachers so that it motivates other students to join and supports education in Katire.”
Another youth, Juma Kenyatta, said the lack of government support has led to school dropouts and early marriages among young people in the area. He urged the ministry to place teachers on the government payroll to strengthen the school.
“We have serious education problems in Katire. Although we have a secondary school, it is not functioning well because it lacks support. Teachers are not receiving salaries, and this has caused many youths to drop out of school, leading to early marriages.”
Meanwhile, State Member of Parliament representing Hatire Payam Constituency No. 12 in Ikwoto County, Hon. Dominic Onyu, reminded the public of Hatire’s historical importance as an education center during the civil war.
“The late Bishop Paride Taban studied here. Katire was once a paradise in Eastern Equatoria and South Sudan at large. We studied English in Gilo on the mountain, walking for hours every day. Education was valued, and children moved long distances to learn.”