Corner Stones’ Vision Academy’s schoolgirls in a parade | Credit | Courtesy
Majority of schoolgirls registered for this year’s GESS cash transfer program in Awerial County, Lakes State will miss their payments for not showing up for the verification exercise, education officials said.
Out of 100 girls registered at Roordit Primary School, only
26 were successfully verified. The turnout was even lower at Padaar and
Pan-Nhial schools, where just 3 and 4 girls were validated, respectively.
In total, 300 girls from Primary 7 to Senior 4 were enrolled
in the Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) cash transfer program across 13
schools in Awerial County.
Barnaba Dhuor Bol, the County Education Director, said the
low turnout is due to several challenges. These include displacement from
ongoing surveys, a lack of qualified teachers, and weak community support for
education.
"The community is not serious about maintaining
teachers in schools because the schools that have been opened are mainly
community-centered. The government has no capacity to bring teachers from
Rumbek and accommodate them in Riaga, Akot Salam, or Malual Tuk, and there is
no money for feeding. So, it is the responsibility of the community,” Dhuor
said.
Samuel Deng Majur, Data Officer for Windle Trust in Lakes
State, emphasized that only girls who complete electronic verification will
qualify for cash support.
"The initial enrollment is a different thing. The benchmark,
which is the target number, is 300. The process is that we move to a school, do
a headcount, confirm how many learners are there, and validate them,” Deng explained.
The GESS cash transfer program also includes boys and girls
with disabilities, aiming to support inclusive education and lower dropout
rates.
Officials are encouraging communities and families to
prioritize school attendance, especially during important program activities
like verification, so their children can benefit from the available support.