South Sudan News Agency

Juba, June 19, 2013 (SSNA) -- The South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy (SSHURSA) lauds and welcomes the move taken by the President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit in suspending and lifting the immunity of the two cabinet Ministers Hon. Deng Alor Kuol and Hon. Kosti Manibe Ngai of the Ministries of Cabinet Affairs and Finance & Economic planning respectively. This is a move in the interest of the public and SSHURSA hails the President for the bold action taken. 

“This is a long over due and I think practically, President Kiir has truly acted in the interest of the people and this is what has been expected of him” Said Biel Boutros Biel, the Executive Director of SSHURSA. “In the eyes of the law, the two ministers remain only as suspects of corruption allegations placed on them and therefore, are still innocent until their guilt is proved otherwise, howevever, worth to mention is that since their immunity has been lifted and altogether they are suspended from their official duties, is indeed in the right direction as full and fair investigations will lead to the material facts of the allegations and as usual, we call upon the President to do more”Biel added.

As SSHURSA hails the action taken by His Excellency the President, it also appeals to him to equally act on the most serious alleagtions levveled against some of the Executive members of government as follows:

1. He should suspend and lift the immunity of the Deputy Minister of Interior Lt. Gen. Salva Mathok Gengdit accused of murder of Banyjioth Mathoat Tap. As long as he is still the Deputy Minister of Interior, no fair, free and impartial investigations would be expected of the case.

2. Reveal identities, suspend and lift the immunity of the 75 alleged corrupt officials in and out of the government whom he had written a letter to in May 2012 over the disappearance of public funds entrusted to them. They should be investigated with urgency on equal note.

3. SSHURSA appeals to National Parliament to summmons and question the Ministers of Interior, National Security, Information and Justice for failing to avail results of investigations as who was responsible for the assassination of Isaiah Abraham in December 2012.

For more information on this Press Release or on what we do, contact SSHURSA through its Executive Director on: Tel. +211 915 300 382, E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Juba, South Sudan.

South Sudan Human Rights Society For Advocacy(SSHURSA) is a non political and non profit making organization founded in 2007 with its vision geared towards building an enlightened Human Rights abiding South Sudan. Its mission is to monitor, document human rights vioaltions  in South Sudan and train general public on the respect and importance of Human Rights, fundamental freedoms of an individual, democracy and Rule of Law to creating responsible, justice and good governance oriented South Sudan.  SSHURSA pays particular focus on the rights of women, children and other vulnerable groups.

PRESS RELEASE

Juba, June 17, 2013 (SSNA) -- In the first week of June the SPLA garrisons in Renk and Malakal received 24,985 textbooks and teacher guides for further distribution to the armed forces primary schools and Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) centres in Upper Nile State. This first delivery to the garrisons is part of the country wide National Textbook Distribution which provides textbooks and other reading materials to all primary schools and ALP centres in South Sudan. The distribution of the books is an initiative of the South Sudan Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) and is supported by UK-Aid through their Department for International Development (DFID) in Juba.

Senior Education Adviser Richard Arden who coordinates the National Textbook Distribution for DFID emphasizes the importance of having an educated army. “Education will improve the way in which the SPLA can contribute to the broader development of South Sudan. It will advance the relationship between the SPLA and the public and an educated army will shore up peace keeping operations and stabilisation. We also recognize the educational needs of families of soldiers serving in the armed forces” Mr. Arden stressed that DFID already supports the transfer of teaching skills and language training to the SPLA. “We are providing English language tuition to SPLA officers through the British Council. This includes training of SPLA staff to deliver English language skills to their colleagues”.  

In addition to the two containers delivered to Upper Nile State the garrisons in Central Equatoria, Jonglei, Easter Equatoria, Unity, Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal States will receive 13 containers holding textbooks and teacher guides. In total 187 SPLA primary schools and ALP centres have been allocated 218,750 books and this includes supplies for the schools for wounded war heroes and the disabled. The SPLA will escort the delivery trucks to their destination to ensure a smooth handling of the cargo on the way and the correct deliveries at the regional garrisons.

All primary and ALP students in South Sudan face enormous challenges accessing reading materials with at times as many as nine students sharing one textbook. This lack of books stifles quality education and is one of the main causes for the high drop out from primary education. According to a publication of DFID fifteen percent of the students who did not complete primary education in 2008-2009 mentioned the lack of textbooks as the key reason for not attending classes.

The National Textbook Distribution which started in December 2012 will supply all primary schools and ALP centres in South Sudan with textbooks and teacher guides. The books, which cover the 5 core subjects (Science, Mathematics, English, Religious Education and Social Studies), are the first revised textbooks that have been written and designed by South Sudanese educationalists for South Sudanese children under the current national curriculum. In total around 9.6 million books and readers will be distributed to the schools in the payams across all ten States.

As of the middle of June 2013 more than half of the schools in South Sudan received their allocated share of books. The deliveries in Central Equatoria, Warrap, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal have been completed while the distribution in the remaining states is ongoing. The distribution is realized by Charles Kendall and Partners (CKP) on behalf of the British Government.

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PRESS RELEASE

Textbooks Are Life, Don’t Sell Your Life.

Juba, June 11, 2013 (SSNA) -- At the launch of the National Textbook Distribution in Western Equatoria State the Governor of Western Equatoria State Col. Joseph Bakosoro guided the primary students on the importance of education and protecting the received books from illegal sale. “The first commandment is that these textbooks will not be sold, the second commandment is that these books are your life… so, don’t sell your life”.

The well attended ceremony which took place on the 6^th of June at the Yabongo Girls School in Yambio marked the start of the delivery of 428.000 textbooks, teacher guides and other reading materials to 464 primary schools and Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) centres in the State. The delivery of books in Western Equatoria State will last at least six weeks and is part of the nationwide supply of reading materials. The distribution is an initiative of the Juba based Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) and is supported by UK Aid through their Department for International Development (DFID).

The event was also attended by the Head of DFID (South Sudan) Ms. Elizabeth Carriere who represented UK Aid, the State Minister of Education Hon. Philip Pia, County Education Directors, several head teachers, students of Yabongo and St Mary Primary School, educationalists and representatives of Charles Kendall and Partners (CKP), the organization which is realizing the distribution of the books throughout South Sudan.  

In his well received speech Governor Bakosoro emphasized that the students, teachers and the people of Western Equatoria State should take ownership of the books and have to ensure that the reading materials last as long as possible for the benefit of many more generations of students. “These books don’t belong to the bazungu; they don’t belong to DFID or the British. The books are ours and anything which is ours should be kept and maintained like it is our property”. He also spoke on the importance of education for girls and advised them to finish school before getting married and conceiving children.

The Head of DFID, Ms. Cariere, stressed that the occasion marked the start of a long lasting relationship between the development agency and both the Government of South Sudan and Western Equatoria State. “Our partnership supports the establishment of new education systems, it will increase the capacity at all levels to design and implement better education policies. Yesterday I met the State Minister of Education and we had detailed discussions on support that DFID will offer to the Ministry”.  Ms. Carriere disclosed that UK Aid will start a special program aimed at increasing the enrolment of girls into primary and secondary schools. “The 5 year program is in the final preparatory phase and will roll out over South Sudan and Western Equatoria over the coming months”. She was impressed with the commitment and the ongoing activities of the State Ministry and said that as far as education in Western Equatoria is concerned, UK Aid is pushing an open door.

Hon. Philip Pia, the State Minister of Education, said that today’s system of education has changed. “It’s not anymore the old way when the students were seen as empty vessels which were to be filled by the teacher with knowledge. Nowadays the teachers have to light the candle which will make the fire of education burn, the children must learn by themselves but the teachers have to open the door to learning”.

He acknowledged that the students often fail because they and their teachers lack the resources to learn and teach. Therefore the Minister welcomed the donation of new books. He praised CKP for the manner of distributing the books which ensures that the reading materials are being delivered direct to the schools.

The Minister appealed to the parents to do their part to support the education of their children and to take care that the provided books are well kept.  Hon. Pia welcomed the support of girls’ education  “UK Aid passed that ball to us, we will pick it and run away with it, the Government of Western Equatoria State will champion education for girls”.

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Background information for Editors:

The National Textbook Distribution which started in December 2012, will supply all Primary Schools and ALP centres in South Sudan with textbooks, teacher guides and readers. The books, which cover the 5 core subjects (Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Religious Education and English) are the first revised textbooks that have been written and designed by South Sudanese educationalists for South Sudanese children under the current national curriculum. The supplies are based on enrolment data given by the MoGEI in Juba. These data were updated after a series of State level workshops with County Education Directors and representatives of the State Ministries held end of 2012 and beginning of 2013.

In total around 9.6 million books and readers will be distributed to the private and government managed schools in the Payams in all ten States. The distribution will provide the textbooks at a one on one ratio to students in the lower grades of primary while in the higher grades 3 students will have share 1 textbook in all core subjects.

As of the first week of June 2013 more than half of all Primary schools and ALP centres in South Sudan received their allocated textbooks, teacher guides and other reading materials. The deliveries in Central Equatoria, Warrap, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Northern Bahr el Ghazal have been completed while the distribution in the remaining States is ongoing.

The National Textbook Distribution is funded by UK-Aid through their Department for International Development (DFID) in Juba and is an initiative of the South Sudan Ministry of General Education and Instruction. The printing and distribution of the textbooks and teacher guides and the procurement of other reading materials is realized by Charles Kendall and Partners for the UK Government.

For more information on the National Textbook Distribution or requests for interviews please contact:  Huub Gales / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / 211-(0) 955 05 33 77