By Taban Gabriel
King News-22nd August 2024 The United Nations Education Scientific Culture Organization (UNESCO) today at their office premises in Juba has donated a number of assorted electronics and office equipment to the National Ministry of General Education to support Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) activities in the country.
King News verified the items submitted to the Ministry, including 19 desktop computers with their accessories, 40 tablets, and 60 chairs and tables, among others.
During the handover ceremony, UNESCO Chief of Education Program Specialist Dr. Tap Raj Pant, acting as Country Representative, said the equipment “will aid in data collection at the yet-to-be-established” TVET Resources Center.
Dr Raj said the apparatus “will fast-track” the activities of the TVET Information Management System in South Sudan.
“UNESCO is providing support to the government to establish a Technical Vocational Education Training management information system, and we have developed software that will build on the existing information system that the government has in order to avert duplications, and we will have our information related to TVET,” he said
Raj said the technical items will be distributed to all the line ministries handling TVET-related activities.
“As you may know, Technical Education and Vocational Training is not only the Ministry of Education’s business. The Ministry of Labor is equally responsible for vocational Training; that’s why we have been supporting the Ministry of Labor also to have this TVET Management Information System in their Ministries.”
The Director General for TVET at the National Ministry of General Education, Dr. Gibson Francis Waru, who is also the chairperson of the TVET Adhoc Committee in South Sudan and UNESCO’s Chief of Education Program Specialist Dr. Tap Raj Pant, Acting as Country Representative holding one of the time for the media to take photographs
According to Raj, “some” government officials at TVET departments lacked computers to collect information. Hence, “That is why we have procured some equipment we give them, and today, we are handing over the equipment to our partners who are implementing TVET in 7 States.”
The UNESCO acting Representative said his organization expects the Ministry of General Education to publish one TVET Information report by the end of the year.
According to Dr. Raj, the donation is part of a four-year $11 million TVET project funded by the Swedish government, which is also expected to end by 31 December 2024.
Upon receiving the items, the Director General for TVET at the National Ministry of General Education, Dr. Gibson Francis Waru, who is also the chairperson of the TVET Adhoc Committee in South Sudan, conveyed his acknowledgment to UNESCO for the donation.
“On behalf of the government, we are pleased with the donation from the Swedish government. These donations have been helpful because we can strengthen TVET in South Sudan with the resources. We have done a lot which has helped develop our TVET policy, which has now moved. It must be submitted to the Legislative Assembly for Approval”. Said Dr. Gibson
Dr Gibson said his Ministry’s findings suggest that “the TVET project” has improved lives in the States.
“Beneficiaries told us that their lives have changed; for instance, in Lakes State, when we went to Yirol East County, we had many success stories where beneficiaries told us that they were able to complete the number of cows for their marriage and some also were able to pay their children in schools especially women; they were very happy, most of them were doing agriculture, baking bread and they were happy with it because they were able to support their families,” he added
“They even said they were able to supplement the effort of their husbands and many others,”
When King Media asked the Director General about the project’s sustainability after the Swedish government’s December 2024 faceoff, the director general said, “The sustainability of every project by the government is always there by continuous payment of instructors in the various centers where the training has been taking place, and the government will continue to maintain the centers as well.”
Dr. Gibson said he would ensure and direct his personnel to properly use the items donated by UNESCO.
On November 2, 2023, the African Development Bank Board of Directors approved the support to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for the Value Chain Development Project. Subsequently, on June 21, 2024, the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, the African Development Bank Group, and UNESCO formalized the Implementation Agreement in Juba, South Sudan. The project officially commenced on August 13, 2024, with a launch ceremony at the University of Juba, where media outlets were invited to mark the beginning of its implementation.