Africa-Press – South-Sudan. By Yiep Joseph
the ministry of General Education and Instruction yesterday launched Inclusive and accessible comprehensive, Sexuality Education Training materials for South Sudan.
The materials launched include; books as well as a South Sudan sign language Dictionary that would allow persons with hearing and visual impairment, especially girls and women access information on sexuality through their teachers that would help to reduce gender-based violence, unwanted pregnancies and address sexual risk behaviors that can expose them to sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDs.
In her remark yesterday during the launch, Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction said that the materials could help to eliminate cases of discrimination among learners.
“Developing materials in Barrel and sign languages eliminate discrimination and improve the participation of all learners,” Awut said. She added that Barrels and sign languages are media for communication that should be developed along with all other projects.
“I encourage our partners and government officials to allocate a percentage of the budget to translate the materials been developed” she urged.
Awut said that the Ministry of General Education and Instructionshowed a sustainable commitment to work with partners to make sure that the marginalized members of the society get access to education in the spirit of leaving no one behind.
She reaffirmed that education remains fundamental and guarantee human right citing that all children, youths and adult need access to quality learning opportunities for their employees and to allow them to contribute to the building of the nation.
“These include persons with disability and it is our obligation to meet their needs”she added.
“Children, youths and adults need to learn literacy school as well as other skills for employment, skills to leave peacefully together, skill to live healthier lives, HIV preventative Education, cholera prevention, mental health as well as skills for protecting the environment” she explained.
Julius Banda Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to South Sudanreaffirmed his commitment to work hand in hand with partners to extend the programs to the state the cattle camps.
“I like the sentiment that was said in the room that we should go beyond Juba, we should think about the states and that is our partnership need to be looking into for the next activities that we do together for an instant my colleague talked about out of school I was just speaking to him early on about cattle camps.Why not UNAIDS need to be seen in cattle camps level where UNESCO and FAO is doing the out of school in the few schools in the cattle camp” Banda said.
“So that we bring all these knowledge, we bring all these materials to where people are in the spirit of leaving no one behind” he added.
Meanwhile, Joachim Waern Ambassador of Sweden in South Sudan said that developing learning documents that meet the need of people with disabilities is a step of forward in bridging the gap in sexuality education.
“I think this moment and this product is one step forward to make big discussion of how to over bridged the challenges that South Sudan have in this area(sexuality Education)” Waern said.
He added that education is a cornerstone and crucial to convert poverty and also support livelihood opportunities including women’s rights to actually decide over their own bodies.
“We strongly emphasize on the right for women and girls to have access to quality education and also in a time where child marriage is still high and also that actually regarding the situation when it comes to covid-19 it has actually been high than before,” he said.
Therefore after the materials were launched, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction and the partners would make these important documents available in schools, TVET centers and other learning instructions that would be used to inform the youths and especially girls with disabilities on the very important aspects on sexuality leading to health living. The event was organized by Light for the world in partnership with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction and with support from UNESCO.
In attendance were Awut Deng Acuil, Minister of General Education and Instruction who was the Guest of Honor, Joachim Waern, Ambassador of Sweden in South Sudan, Julius Banda Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to South Sudan, DrEsterina Novello Nyilok Chairperson South Sudan HIV/AIDS commission, Lord Dartey Country Director UNAIDS South Sudan, Civil Society representative among other organizations.
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
