Kapoeta North County has embarked on efforts to end early and forced marriages in order to promote girl-child education in Eastern Equatoria state.
Bylaws are being drafted to promote education for all children.
According to reports, greater Kapoeta has one of the lowest percentages of literacy in South Sudan, with less than 2% of educated population.
The Office of the Commissioner seeks to change that by unveiling new draft laws this week.
Commissioner Emmanuel Lolimo Epone said the bylaws seeks to promote, report, and support girl-child education, and enforcing penalties for violators.
“The bylaws are ready for launching at the end of this month. This has been a bottom up approach with the community members having been able to mobilize with such an initiative last year in October, and we were able to bring people from all the Payams. They are the ones who should keep the bylaws,” he stated.
Oyet Cornelius, Kapotea North County Education Director the laws will also seek to increase the enrolment and retention of learners in school.
“If any parent removes the child from the school for reasons unknown, that one will be held responsible and that child will be taken and enrolled in school.”
He said the community will be required to provide support to the schools to ensure children remain in class. This, he said, will include supporting the school feeding program currently enabled by the World Food Programme.
“The community will contribute 2.5 kgs of maize – each household,” he mentioned.
The drafting of the bylaws is supported by AVSI, an organization that works towards development that is sustainable and capable of responding to the real needs of people in 33 countries.