20 May 2014 - With thousands of children displaced by conflict in Bentiu, Unity State, UNICEF today opened an emergency school at the UNMISS protection area there.

Speaking during the launch, UNICEF Education Specialist Chikondi Mpkosa said the school would help children learn while they were in the camp.

“This school will help them (children) to identify who they are,” Ms. Mpkosa said. “It will help them to socialize … gain what is needed most in their lives, which is education. In a global world, education is the one of the things that helps people to compete.”

A representative of the children’s parents, Madut Ruei, called on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the camp to support the school. ‘All NGOs and partners must take care of this school. All the education material … must be provided by UNICEF and other NGOS.”

A 17-year-old student at the school, Gatdet Chuol, expressed gratitude to UNICEF for the school. “We are willing to learn here until the peace comes and we are going to continue our education somewhere.”

Children have called on warring parties in South Sudan to end the conflict so they can go home and resume their studies.

More than 20,000 twenty thousand people are currently seeking protection at the UNMISS protection area in Bentiu.