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.
