South Sudan: Ministry of Education Warns Schools Against Hiking Fees Amid Economic Meltdown

By Deng Machol

Juba - The Ministry of General Education and Instruction has directed all private schools not to hike this year’s school fees amidst the country's economic meltdown.

South Sudan's economy has been blighted by the six years of conflict, plus the COVID 19 pandemic and the flooding, which drove away millions of people from their homes.

South Sudanese are relying on humanitarian assistance to earn living.

This comes a days the East Africa's youngest nation re-opened the institution of learnings after over a year of its closure due to the world pandemic virus.

Upon the re-opening of the schools, some private schools across the country just introduced unexpected school fees.

The Education Ministry on Thursday issued a ministerial order to regulate fees that private schools can charge their learners.

In Ministerial order, signed by the Country's Education deputy Minister, Martin Tako Moyi said his ministry received several complaints from parents across the country that some private schools were charging very high school fees.

In a ministerial order, he said all private schools must charge annual school fees not exceeding 80, 000 ($200) South Sudanese Pounds.

The order is inclusive of all scholastic requirements from the school.

Deputy Minister further instructed that private boarding schools should charge annual fees not exceeding 200, 000 ($500) South Sudanese pounds.

The ministry also ordered that all fees must be paid in South Sudanese Pounds.

"Action will be taken against any private or faith-based school (s) found to be in contravetion of this ministerial order," Tako warned the private school (s). The new directive excludes international and diplomatic shools."

However, the private schools should consider the parents' situation induced by the conflict, pandemic virus and the climate change.