Government warns public schools against collecting fees from learners

The ministry of general education and instructions vowed to take punitive measures against schools that will continue to charge fees to the learners.

“We are here warning the public school administrators that they will be accountable and they will be arrested and taken to a competent court,” said Martin Moyi, acting minister of education.

“This is a violation of our constitution; violation of the president’s order, and a violation of the policy of general education that says that education is free for everything.”

In a press conference with the media yesterday, Moyi also noted there has been an increase in the number of new schools.

Moyi attributed it to the capitation grants that the government has been providing, saying some counties have over 150 schools.

However, he warned that they will not transfer any capitation grant to non-existing schools.

“We have to approve that the school is existing and that there are children learning in that school,” Moyi stated.

“We know there are schools that are really functioning, and this will have no problem if they have their bank accounts because the money will be remitted into their bank accounts.”

He warned that anybody who creates non-existing schools and registers fictitious students will not receive any grant.

He promised to send inspectors and director generals to verify the presence of all those schools in the country before giving them grants.

In February, President Salva Kiir declared free education in all public schools and directed relevant government institutions to ensure that primary and secondary education is free across the country.

South Sudan’s constitution guarantees all children free and compulsory primary and secondary education.

Last month, the ministry of finance and planning released SSP 1 billion to the ministry of general education and instruction to support the program of free education in the country.