10 March 2015 - Two new classrooms handed-over by UNMISS to the Warrap State government were a major breakthrough in increasing the state’s learning spaces, a senior state official said in the state capital Kuajok recently.

Adriano Kiir Ayuel, the Director General of the State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, made the remarks during a commissioning exercise of two classrooms built by the mission under its Quick Impacts Projects.

“This greatly relieves the government and people of Warrap State from the burden of lack of learning space,” Mr. Ayuel noted during a ceremony held in Mayen Gumel Community.

The two-classroom structure at Kuajok Academy Secondary School is valued at $50,000 and was implemented by The Organization for Children harmony (TOCH).

According to TOCH, constructing the additional two classrooms would help raise intake to 200 students.

“Kuajok City presently has two secondary schools to accommodate students who (complete) primary (school),” he said. “This school will assist in accommodating these students. This further relieves us of the challenge that 50 per cent of learning spaces are under trees.”

The Director General said the goodwill gesture from UNMISS and other partners who construct schools and promote peace in the country would be useless unless the South Sudanese people made use of the facilities.

Kuajok Municipality City Mayor, Ajiek Ajiek, urged the people of Kuajok and Warrap State to contribute to developing the state by joining hands and building their capacity through education.

“I went to school under trees (then) I travelled to East Africa and the USA,” he said. “Now, I am back to contribute my quota to develop and build my state. I will do this because of the education I acquired.”

UNMISS Acting State Coordinator Isaac Lappia stressed that the future of South Sudan lies in developing the youth, especially through education for the girl-child.

“Invest in your children by sending them to school instead of marrying them (off) for immediate benefit,” he said. “Once these (children) are educationally empowered, the country will flourish.”