South Korean peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have handed over some 21,500 facemasks to the Education Cluster in Bor, Jonglei State.

The Cluster is comprised of 21 secondary schools that were selected to be beneficiaries by the State Ministry of Education. Each school is earmarked to receive around a 1000 face masks to enable students continue learning in a safe environment, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“With schools across South Sudan closing down for the greater part of last year due to the Coronavirus, our children are lagging behind and their education has suffered greatly,” reveals Alier Kuol, Principal, Sheik El Nur Secondary School.

 “Since we have recently reopened our doors, UNMISS has been our guardian angel through this generous handover. We are very grateful to peacekeepers for their assistance, be it protecting us from conflict, helping us overcome severe flooding or, now, empowering us to teach young students while protecting them from this deadly virus,” added Principal Kuol.

Duku Francis, focal point of the Education Cluster for Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, echoes Mr. Kuol. “Education is of paramount importance for our younger generation if we are to look forward to a more peaceful, prosperous future,” stated Mr. Francis. “By helping us ensure the health and safety of students during the pandemic, UNMISS is bringing us closer to a brighter tomorrow,” he added.

Apart from face masks, South Korean engineers also distributed some 10,000 toothbrushes and a 100 T-shirts patterned with World Health Organization-approved measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.  The delivery of these materials is being coordinated jointly by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the State Ministry of Education.

There are 678 primary schools and 37 secondary schools here with an estimated enrolment of 380,000 children. UNMISS, UNICEF and other partners have been supporting the safe reopening of schools since their closure in April last year by providing learning materials, raising community awareness and regular broadcasts of school lessons via Radio Miraya.

For their part, South Korean peacekeepers have continued their support to the national-led COVID-19 response. In April, they handed over a newly constructed outpatient department to the Bor Hospital together with much-needed equipment, medical supplies and an ambulance, that has greatly improved the Hospital’s ability to respond to the pandemic.

Other contributions to the cause of durable peace in Jonglei by these dedicated peacekeepers include solar lights along roads; construction of dykes to prevent flooding; rehabilitating schools and main supply routes as well as providing vocational training to young people.