Teachers in Aweil commit to teach peace in their schools

10 Jun 2019

Teachers in Aweil commit to teach peace in their schools

Deng Mou

Teachers in South Sudan’s Aweil area have been identified as key players in building national identity and social cohesion in schools and the larger society.

This revelation was made at a one-day workshop, organized by the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), to enlighten the teachers about the revitalized peace agreement so they can disseminate its content to students and pupils of their respective schools.

“Now, I can go back to school and spread what I have learnt – the message of peace,” said female teacher Sylvia Nandera of Malong Awan Foundation.

South Sudan’s warring parties signed a peace deal in September 2018, ending a five-year war and giving a glimmer of hope to the people of the world’s youngest nation.

“If we can change the future generation, we would have solved this problem of the conflict which is affecting us today,” said participant Kerubino Diing, a teacher at South Sudan Education Center – a secondary school in Aweil.

Another participant who teaches at the same school, Josephine Achol George, said for South Sudan to prosper it must develop its children.   
“We need to teach our children because they are the future of South Sudan,” said Achol. “We have learnt about peace, we need to teach our children about peace,” she stressed.

For Izaiah Mapuk, who teaches at the Gateway Education Center, the problems South Sudanese are facing are due to greed.
“The problem we have is selfishness,” said Mapuk. “Otherwise, do something good for others.”

On her part, Mariama Dauda urged teachers to transform the children for a peaceful future of South Sudan.

“As educators you have the opportunity to mould the future generation of South Sudan,” said Dauda. “It takes the whole community and society of South Sudan to achieve a successful implementation of the revitalized peace agreement,” she emphasized.

Dauda said the little children should be groomed and curved into responsible citizens who understand the benefits of security, peace and development.

Some thirty teachers were drawn from different schools in Aweil to attend the one-day workshop on peace. The session aimed to enlighten teachers on the importance of teaching the young generation on the peaceful coexistence.