Parents told to support teachers financially
The government of Eastern Equatoria State is calling on parents to pay the school fees for their children to motivate the teachers.
The statement came during the launch of a back-to-school campaign.
The event brought together pupils, teachers, and some state government officials from Torit.
State Director for Basic and Secondary Education, Cletus Oboyi, urged the communities to value teachers and support them financially to improve their standards of living.
“The financial issue affects most of the three-quarter of our people. Our people are living below the poverty line. Therefore, my advice to our communities is to let them persevere in sense of at least paying school fees for their children to support teachers in the different [places],” he said.
Oboyi was speaking at Torit Model Primary School on Thursday.
The Commissioner of Torit County, Jacob Atari, encouraged the teachers to be calm and not to quit their profession as the government is working hard to improve the situation.
He said the teachers are the key in the societies that need to be valued well so that they continue to equip the generation with knowledge.
“My dear teachers, thank you very much. Today, I am standing here as the commissioner because of you. We as the government are so committed to making sure that your life as a teacher improves in all parts.”
“So, please teachers, you continue with the effort because I know that most of the people have already left teaching to seek greener pasture,” he said.
He said those who left teaching would not be accepted to come back because they relinquished their responsibility.
Atari further called on the teachers to be patient, adding things would improve and uplift their lives.
“So be courageous and take courage [because] the government is working hard [to make the] teachers in South Sudan be like those in other countries,” he stressed.
The head teacher of Torit Model Primary School, John Juma, said delayed and low-paying salaries pose a challenge to the profession.
He appealed to teachers to persevere and use the little they get to help them do some business.
“We will still doing the best through the little contribution we are getting and we are fully managing schools,” Juma stated.
