A Catholic organisation dedicated to the formation of teachers in South Sudan has started this month a two-year pre-service training course at two colleges.
Director of Teacher Education for Solidarity with South Sudan (SSS) Bill Firman told CRN that on March 12 the organization started pre-service formation for 38 people in the Teachers Training Colleges of Yambio and Malakal.Among the 26 people who started the course in Yambio there are two women from Abyei and five women and one man from Nuba Mountains.
He added that the two-year training will last for 66 weeks.
Brother Firman, an Australian LaSalle brother, said any secondary school graduate can apply for a place at the Teachers’ Training College.
He added that good command of English is a must and SSS is organizing a nine-week intensive course of English in Agok for the Abyei displaced people in order to open an in-service training programme for 90 teachers from that region.
The in-service training lasts for four years.
Brother Firman said SSS has also worked successfully with the finalists at Loreto Girls Secondary School, in Rumbek, to motivate the students to choose teaching as a career.
SSS started in-service training at the end of 2008 and so far about 1,600 teachers went through the course at seven sites, including Malakal, an Leer in Unity, Rumbek in Lakes, Gumbo in Central Equatoria and Rimenze, Yambio and Nzara in Western Equatoria.
Brother Firman said that the organization wants to open another two next January in Agok and Mapuordit.
The teachers training programme has 14 fulltime members who were assisted by another seven during the in-service training.
SSS is an umbrella group of 181 Catholic male and female religious institutes that forms teachers and nurses and works on agriculture and pastoral projects.