Martin Tako, Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction/Photo/Lou Nelson

The Deputy Minister of General Education and Instruction Martin Tako said the institution has recorded an increasing number of school dropouts from 2.2 percent to 2.8 percent in the last three years.

“The number of school children who drop out keeps increasing instead of decreasing. It has increased to 2.8 from previous 2.2 in 2018 with a lot of circumstances surrounding it,” Tako said at the validation of a five-year general education sector plan organized in Juba Tuesday.

He further stated that the rise in the number of children leaving schools is caused by factors including flash floods, conflicts, and food insecurity.

Mr. Tako also said lack of accurate, reliable and timely data needed to make informed decision is very much affecting the delivery of effective of education in the country.

According to him, the recent heavy rainfall may even polarize the dire situation in greater Pibor and Unity state.

“The issue of flash floods. Almost two states are submerged by flood water and with the recent heavy fall of rains, I don’t know what the situation in Unity will be, Jonglei, greater Pibor and even some parts of Western Equatoria state are cut-off.”

Tako is appealing to partners to align its interventions to merge the revised national development strategy for the better future of education for children in the country.

“We still appeal to our government to stand with the government, as it has always stand. General Education Sector Plan will be a key document that the partners will align their interventions. It will also be a tool to merge some of the national commitments such as revised national development strategy and South Sudan vision 2024.”

“As we validate and lunch this education sector plan today. It’s my hope that we are jointly searching for trajectory for the future education for the children of our beloved country.”

According to the policy document, $701.1 million dollars will be required as cost of the implementation of the General Education Sector Plan Project.

The 2023-2027 framework plan was lunched under theme: Five-year General Education sector plan as a framework to transform in South Sudan.