The Strategic National Goals of Education for South Sudan
High profile or committees for higher education, please unify curriculum for better education in your nation. It is better to be independence in education than agreements with other countries and avoided everybody seeking scholarship outside country.
By David Matiop Gai, Juba, South Sudan
April 13, 2016 (SSB) —- Dr. John Garang de Mabior encouraged Board of Directors of South Sudan Christian University of Science and Technology in 2005 before the final signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, (CPA), in Nairobi Kenya, that “take this university to Southern Sudan, it will help our people at the grass root levels”, he said, and licensed it as the first private university in the devastated region of Southern Sudan. This is how the university came about in our history.
Although John Garang’s death came abruptly, and leaved behind him many things unfulfilled, the South Sudan Christian University of Science and technology exists today with many critics, but it was born in eyewitness of the South Sudan founder, and this step confined us to understand the vision of late father of the new nation to his people.
Vision drives the nation above, and inspires next generations for their fate. Leaders with vision leave behind them better steps for the next generations in any fields of human development. But as we passed through hundreds years in the past and in the current two Sudan, there was no proper education system in Southern Sudan even before and after the long civil war between the South and North Sudan; citizens educated their children in East Africa, British, United Kingdom, America, etc. while in the mind of Dr. John Garang dreamt of a nation we call today “The Republic of South Sudan” and he named it, “The New Sudan”, which may adapt its own system of education now and forever in global history.
As we talk, The President of the Republic Salva Kiir Mayardit appointed committee or commission for high education last month with new faces of academicians, and Vice Chancellors of public and private universities. The aim I hope is to incorporate inclusive environment of education because we have not even a weak system in education. Our system of education is so confused with little strategic alliteration, close and opens, criticize and encourage; it is very confusing indeed. Capitalists in South Sudan want to mistreat societies. For example rich people like governors, directors, undersecretaries, name them, want to open high institutions of learning and favor their recognition upon themselves.
By Creating South Sudan Community Action Plans for education, (CSSCAPE), and for this nation to have successful education, we need to have action plans in education sector. These plans can identify important steps in a creating South Sudan community action plan for the education reforms. These crucial steps include the following.
- Identifying a leadership team for South Sudan education reform.
The President Kiir formed committee for high education headed by minister of education. A high profile commission tasked to create education business; I mean a business that will afford South Sudanese communities in a sense of education. The leadership teams or individuals should be people who will see needs and have desire and vision to make products in South Sudan education system.
- Develop common vision for education.
It is necessary for us as a nation that this team of leaders should recognize things they need to change in education system and drive us with Garang’s vision where we want to be. To develop the common goal, the national education goals are good starting points for SWOT analysis. I always insists that why can’t we build a weak system of education which may be criticize and be strengthen in the future? That is what South Sudan Christian University of Science and Technology had started in Gudele, and vast area in Jebel but few years to come, it will be the best private university in South Sudan and it will be internationally recognized. The national education goals are actually good points for evaluation, strengths, and weaknesses for educational system.
- Develop a strategy for education.
A strategy is (Greek word) for military. It is a military plan against enemy by targeting enemy place using war crafts to overcome the enemy. The same tactic is applied for business and other work in the human era. It is a plan of action or policy design to achieve a major overall aims. The team has power to develop set goals and also develop strategies on how to achieve them? And if the group follows the directives from the President, these strategies should either be short or long terms.
- Organizing techniques.
This high profile of education in our country should give guideline provides information about important of organizing techniques that might be useful throughout the planning process in our education, that is South Sudan education.
- Developing toward available resources.
There are opportunities in South Sudan education because everybody is interesting in education. For education reform to be effective, the goals of education must be embraced by the committee to widening mind of South Sudanese communities in education. The team must identify individuals or groups need to continue influence policymakers, although this group is part of parliament, they must identify financial resources, and other resources to bear necessary report in education campaigns, “go back to school”, which is always occurs every year in this nation.
- And finally implement the plan, and evaluate the results every year.
Implantation for education action plan in South Sudan is to develop timeline and for the team to measure the progress toward the goals of education. The important tool for this step is to help South Sudanese communities who have their children involve in the progress of academic and economic development in global family – indeed we are there!
The author is a co-founder of National Mental Health Care Organization; He holds Bachelor degree in Social work and social Administration from SSCUST, Bachelor degree in Theology from CLT in Kalispell, Montana USA, and a fellow researcher. He can be reach at tonggaid551@yahoo.com/ davidmatiopgai@gmail.com.
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