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UNICEF young reporters launch back to school campaign

Author: Alhadi Hawari | Published: January 30, 2025

UNICEF young reporters Mary Adut (left), Thomas Luala (center) and Angeth Ker speak on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. January 30, 2025. (Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio).

A group of young reporters from UN children’s charity UNICEF have launched a Back to School campaign to encourage parents to return children to learning, including nearly three million already dropped out across the country.

The initiative aims at raising awareness about the importance of education and encouraging young people and families to prioritize schooling, with the new academic year underway amid economic challenges facing the country.

Schools are expected to open this month for the academic year 2025/2026, but the education ministry has not officially declared the reopening.

Angeth Ker Deng, a UNICEF young reporter told Eye Radio’s Dawn Show, that the campaign is critical in creating awareness on the need to educate children in the country.

Angeth stressed that the Back-to-School initiative focuses on advocating for children to get back to learning in various communities, especially the children who have long dropped out.

“We are launching the Back-to-School campaign today, and it focuses on advocating for children to get back to school in their various communities, areas, or wherever they are, especially to deal with drop-outs and other children,” she said.

“This is what we are focusing on with the Back-to-School campaign, giving motivation, encouragement, and support where necessary. The campaign is even taking place in a specific area, but we visit radio stations to amplify our message.”

“We surely believe that there are people listening from outside and they would be able to listen from us and we are sure that our motivation is going to touch them.”

South Sudan’s education sector has been significantly affected by nearly a decade of civil war, which has led to high dropout rates and widespread school closures, according to studies.

A UNICEF report indicates that over 2.8 million children in South Sudan are out of school, putting their futures—and the country’s future—at risk.

Another young reporter – Thomas Luala – said students from low income families are facing setbacks due to the economic crisis that has sharply increased school fees.

Mr. Luala encouraged children to avoid negative peer influence that may distract them from learning.

“We need not to hear bad advice from our friends and colleagues. If they don’t want the school, we are the ones to encourage them. This is one of the challenges students mainly face. So one of the challenges that student faces like a lack of resources.”

“As you can see now, the issue of the school fees is now going high. Some of the schools are there their school fees are now 1 million and something. Then how do you expect my father all my parents are not working. How do you expect my parents to pay for the school fees while they are not working? I don’t know how.”

On her part, Adut Mary said poverty is a major factor that prevent children from going to school.

“Poverty is one of the main things that prevents children from going to school. Imagine the 2.8 million children who are out of school,” he underlined.

“It’s not that they don’t want to go to school, but it’s because most of their parents don’t have money to send them to school. If they get the little money that they get from their salary or their daily work, they make sure that they feed the family first.”

“So they don’t see education as something that they will waste money and stuff and send their children to school and remain back home and stuff.”

 

 

 

 

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