Lakes State teachers take screening test. | Photo: Courtesy

Lakes State government on Saturday administered a screening test to nearly 5,000 primary and secondary school teachers in the capital Rumbek to improve education and wipe out ghost names.

The public schools teachers were grilled two months after the Vice President for Service Cluster announced plans to have them screened in a bid to lay off unqualified teachers and absorb qualified volunteers on the payroll.

The screening exams is also meant to wipe out ghost names – a corruption scheme where non-existent names are listed in the government payroll for teachers.

Nelson Makoi, State Minister of Education said the screening exams is to improve the quality of education and the welfare of teachers in the state.

Speaking on state television SSBC, Makoi added that the government will immediately deploy those who pass the test and take those who fail for further capacity building.

“The total number of teachers taking examination in Lakes State is 4,880 teachers both, volunteers and paid teachers. This is the total number of teachers taking exams today (Saturday),” Makoi said.

“Our mission is to improve education, the skills and capacity of our teachers as well as their welfare. If we are going to have the result later on, we will be able to deploy those who will pass the test and for those who will fail, we will take them for training.”

According to the Institute of Development Studies, teachers in South Sudan remain poorly and irregularly paid – leading to qualified teachers deserting for better-paying jobs.

This has reportedly resulted in schools hiring primary and secondary school leavers with limited proficiency in English – the language of instruction.

Teachers have also been complaining about low pay and poor working conditions.