A lack of trained teachers in Morobo County of Central Equatoria State has dealt a major blow to general education in the area, according to education officials.

Malish William, the County education director, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that out of nearly 500-trained schoolteachers in all the five payams, only 60 teachers are on the ground. He said most of the teachers were displaced by the 2016 conflict.

 “There are mostly volunteer teachers who were mobilized to help teach our children because most of our trained and qualified teachers fled to the refugee camps in 2016,” he said.

However, the education official said the education ministry is trying its best to improve the teaching and education system in the county. He disclosed that the education ministry has sent some investors to improve the education infrastructure on the ground.

“As I speak now, the education ministry has sent a team of investors on the ground to assess some schools to be rehabilitated. As I speak, some stakeholders are working to improve the education sector,” he said.

A teacher, who preferred anonymity, said most teachers in the area have resorted to farming while others left the teaching profession for greener pastures in the NGO and private sector due to low and delayed salaries.

She called on the government and education development partners to increase teachers’ salaries to attract teachers into the education sector.

“Teachers’ pay is too low. Imagine a teacher can teach the whole year and cannot reach 100 USD, and that is why most of the teachers have left teaching, and many of us are now into farming to raise some money to meet family’s needs,” he said.

According to reports, the education sector in South Sudan faces high demand but suffers from low investment and low capacity as well as corruption.

Source: Radio Tamazuj