Preparing a robust education sector plan

In South Sudan, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), supported by its partners, is continuing the arduous work of preparing its next education sector plan (ESP). This is especially challenging in a country emerging from conflict, having immense development and humanitarian needs, and being faced with an economic crisis owing to high inflation and the global collapse in oil prices.[1]

The proposed ESP will define the major educational priorities and targets for the government over five years (2017-2021) after expiration of the current General Education Strategic Plan.[2] Three workshops have been held already (in February, March, and April 2016), with all groundwork to conclude by July 2016.

Civil society’s commitment

The Partners for Education Group (PEG), a new civil society education forum in South Sudan, was welcome to participate in three out of four ESP working groups, namely, access (including alternative education system), quality, and management—the 4^th working group covers technical vocational education & training and higher education.

PEG was also involved in the 2^nd South Sudan Education Sector Analysis, which is linked to the current ESP development. In collaboration with an array of national and international actors, this was a first time for coordinated mobilization and representation of civil society within these processes.

PEG members share key lessons

At the March ESP workshop, four PEG members were asked to share one key lesson or idea that they have drawn from the ESP processes or that they thought was important in the development of the ESP. Below is what they had to say.

Emelia Luka (Organization: Hold the Child)

“I participated in the management group. We were looking at three objectives: (1) improving effective and efficient communication, information flow and coordination in education between national, state, counties, payams (or towns), and schools; (2) improving monitoring and evaluation of education programs in South Sudan; and (3) strengthening the Education Management Information System (EMIS).

Our group discussed information flow from all levels, assessing structures, capacity levels and reporting tools, also the importance of developing a communication strategy through the MoEST Information Communication Technology office. It is important to develop a strategy to have a roadmap and sensitize staff about the strategy at all levels.

For EMIS, we identified a challenge: the system is only operational at the national level. Therefore, we looked at ways that it could be decentralized across states.”

Condition Emmanuel Enosa (Organization: Light for the World)

“One key lesson for me is the participants’ diverse perceptions about involving and engaging persons and learners with disabilities in mainstream education and development programs in the country. Most participants were optimistic that learners with disabilities will learn even better in inclusive mainstream schools, through support from assistive learning devices and teachers with appropriate, inclusive education training.

Although inclusive education in South Sudan seems to be an imported ideology to tackle discrimination, isolation and trauma associated with the education of learners with disabilities, many communities and education stakeholders lack essential information especially on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Therefore, in the next ESP workshops, I plan to advocate for the sensitization of communities on inclusive education, for example, through educational institutions at national, state, and county levels.”

Rubaya Monzur (Organization: BRAC)

“Currently, in South Sudan, examination after the secondary four (S4) level is taken through a centralized system whereas examination after the primary eight (P8) level is the responsibility of state education ministries. So the examination papers vary from state to state and students’ achievements are not comparable across states. Considering this, our quality group focused on a national examination system that will conduct the examination at the end of P8 and S4. This type of examination could be a formal summative assessment, which could be comparable across states and time.”

Charles Alfred Watuwa (Organization: Humane Aid for Community Organization)

“In the quality group, we also discussed at length the idea of an in-service teacher training program using modules to be reviewed twice a month with the help of an assigned tutor, to be followed up by a rigorous two-week face to face at a teacher training institution or county education center. This idea was proposed as a way to promote the quality of teachers, and, in turn improve the quality of education among learners without compromising the responsibilities of teachers.

Regarding ways to attract women in the teaching profession, we looked at incentives in terms of accommodation for student teachers who are mothers and their baby sitters, lower cut off grades for females intending to undergo teacher training and scholarships for academically-excelling female students.

I stressed that psychosocial sessions should be incorporated in schools to support students affected by trauma, in order to improve their ability to learn. Also, that teachers should be taught on how to set credible test items that meet accepted standards and that career guidance should be introduced into schools to guide learners on identifying what they wish to be later in life.”

For their contributions in this blog, special thanks is extended to PEG members Emelia Luka, Condition Emmanuel Enosa, Rubaya Monzur, and Charles Alfred Watuwa.