Pagarau Primary School
is located at the centre of Pagarau Payam, Yirol East County, Lakes State. It
is supported by Plan International, an implementing partner organisation in the
ECW MYRP program for South Sudan. For
years, limited resources like teaching and learning materials, low teacher
morale due to poor remuneration and delayed salaries led to decline in school
performance. Student enrolment had decreased by about 40% at the start of 2023.
Through MYRP/ECW
intervention, Pagarau received sufficient materials to facilitate teaching and
learning. The MYRP program provided blackboards, cartons of chalk, chairs, and
tables for the teachers. Other support included teachers’ training on pedagogy
to enhance their knowledge and teaching skills. Majority of teachers are
volunteers without professional teacher training background. This initiative
provided opportunity to hone their skills and improve their practical
experience in facilitating learning in and out of classrooms. Though the
challenge of poor remuneration persists, capacity building sustained their
motivation to teach.
To sustain school
improvement initiatives, the program also provided training to Parents and
Teachers Association (PTA) membership. This initiative boosted parents’ and
community’s involvement in enrolment and oversight in school activities. However,
with more than half of the county’s population food insecure at IPC 3 and
above, schools cannot cope with learning unless school meal provisions exist
for learners. Complementary food assistance in hot meals provided by other
agencies to learners in Pagarau primary school has improved learner’s
participation and continued stay in school.
All these initiatives in Pagarau primary school have paid off. The school currently boasts of 986 (334 girls) enrolled students. This is an increase by 38% from 609 students registered in 2023. Though the proportion of female teachers is still low, the total of 21 trained teachers (2 female) have improved learning experience in the school. School attendance is consistent. Students have exhibited increased interest in learning with remarkable improvement in their school performance.
Plan International through WFP provided school meals funding in 13 schools in Yirol East including Pagarau primary school, support 54 adolescent girls with dignity kit which improve their attendance has they no longer skips their school during menstruation, provided in-kind support and hardship allowance to female teachers to retained them in their work.
