The Situation in Southern Sudan
We all know about Sudan because of the frequency of the Darfur province in the news, unfortunately almost daily, as matters there do not improve. Over two decades of civil war have resulted in the deaths of two million people throughout this largest of all African countries, and the displacement of five million. The signing of a peace accord in January of 2005 has helped, but only partially in Darfur, where some rebel factions have not signed on, and there is little evidence that the government-supported Janjaweed militias are complying. Under these circumstances the UN mission in Sudan has had great difficulty making a difference, and the government’s reluctance to allow a peacekeeping mission has been one of the problems. Now that a much larger UN mission is expected to augment the African Union force, the prospects for peace appear to be somewhat more encouraging.
Matters have been less desperate in Southern Sudan, where a de facto government has been set up with jurisdiction over some aspects of life, including education. The Sudan election of 2008 (or 2009), which will be a test of national unity, and the referendum on independence for the South set for 2011, will not necessarily take place without conflict. The UN mission in the capital of Southern Sudan, Juba, has been able to begin the process of finding a transition to civilian life through its DDR (disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration) program, and there is hope that Southern Sudan can return to some level of normalcy.
Much needs to be done before that can happen. A UN survey indicates that for the wellbeing of women and children, Southern Sudan ranks as the worst in the world. This manifests itself in education, where only 20% of children go to school, and a mere 2% complete their primary education. For girls this is even worse: girls are nine times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than to finish primary school. The low rate of literacy is matched by the abysmal record for health, nutrition, availability of water, and sanitation.
Steps are now being taken to correct this, primarily by UNICEF in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) of Southern Sudan. On 1 April 2006 UNICEF and MOEST launched the Go to School Initiative, which they hope will put an additional 1.6 million children in school, provide books, teaching materials, teachers, and schools. UNICEF hopes to build 1,500 new classrooms, or 200-250 schools, by the end of 2007. Currently untrained volunteers serve as teachers, typically with a chalkboard propped up against a tree in an open-air setting.
These are very ambitious plans, but they will take time. Serious efforts can be seen in cities and larger towns such as Juba, Rumbek, and Wāw, but little or no evidence of this initiative can be found in more remote areas, such as the state of Jonglei, in the southeast between the Nile and the mountains of Ethiopia, the state in which Duk Padiet is found. Organizations such as Wadeng Wings of Hope must help to make this happen.
