Government of South Sudan's ministry of education: The case of the World Food Program
April 13, 2008 (Trail BC, Canada) - Professor Job Dhoruai Malou, Government of South Sudan (GOSS) minister of Education has spoken. Last week, it was reported in various South Sudanese online websites and I here quote for the purpose of my audience; "The Minister of Education in the Government of Southern Sudan Prof. Job Dharuai said that the Southern Government intends to fire teachers with physical disabilities from lower teaching institutions across the south. Prof. Dharuai said the Ministry of Public Service will take care of those disabled teachers after establishing their numbers in the ongoing teachers head count" [Miraya 101 FM].
Dhoruai was further quoted as saying that to cut expenses, GOSS intends to open four boarding secondary schools namely: Rumbek, Juba Commercial, Loka and Aweil. And that these schools will be fed by the World Food Program (WFP).
The above announcement has caused some outrage among the new Human Rights recruits of South Sudanese origin. I call them new recruits because they have been told what rights are in absolute terms such that they jump to conclusions without facts to back up their claims. They have termed the minister’s words outrageous but what is clear at this point is that neither they nor I know exactly the circumstances surrounding this announcement. What I do know is that throughout my school years both in Kenya and now in Canada, I am yet to see a seriously disabled teacher in my classroom. That doesn't mean there are no disabled persons in these countries. Neither is this discrimination.
Just so you know when we talk about disabilities with regards to South Sudan, the meaning takes a different dimension. It's perhaps instructive to know that a good number of the war veterans are former teachers, who took up arms for a worthy cause – that South Sudan be free today! In the process, some of these teachers got seriously disfigured. The last thing they want to do right now is walk to a classroom and scare the very kids they laid down their lives for. That the kids should have a better future – a future full of dignity and peace! So as long as they can be accommodated and as long as there is the right policy in place, they will not need to be in a classroom and the question of their rights violation may not arise.
But does the Ministry of Education have the right policy? I am not sure. The minister, though an appointee of the National Congress Party (National Islamic Front), has an outstanding past record and I have been thinking we can count on him. The idea of reopening the four boarding secondary schools is so great that it excites me – remember most of the elitist South Sudanese we know today went to these schools. And I reckon a well rounded generation of South Sudanese academics will soon emerge once these schools are back on track. However, the apparent relegation of duty by the ministry to the WFP is a slap in the face of South Sudanese. We have seen World Food Program operating in other African countries, what good have they done? Not even that, it has been with us in South Sudan for a while now: what difference has it made? Let's take a brief look at our relationship with the World Food Program.
From Wikipedia, WFP is the Food Aid branch of the UN and its mandate is to help people who are unable to produce enough food for themselves and their families. In countries like Canada, a mandate is so important. Throughout the three years of peace in Sudan, the Southern government has contracted WFP on several occasions to construct roads. You know, I can picture my Canadian friends (the ones who don't believe that food aid helps Africa) laughing hysterically at the thought of a Food Aid organization being given the mandate to construct roads. Perhaps 10 years working experience with the WFP gives one the "expertise" to do road works!
People who are unable to produce enough food for themselves? Is that true of South Sudan? I read articles that talk of South Sudan being poor – is that true? Can we be poor when we have over 40 million heads of cattle? When mangoes grow in the wild? When you can throw any seeds on the ground and they grow without you caring for them? How about the millions of wild animals across the Boma National Park [in Jonglei]? How about the 5 billion barrels of estimated oil reserves? How about Gold in Kapoeta? How about the warmth and confidence of the South inhabitants? Is it possible that we can be proud, as we are, if we know we are poor?
And so who is guiltier of conspiracy – the person who tells you that you are poor or you who parrots the same sentiments? A few minutes ago, an acquaintance of mine posted a link on my facebook page which had articles written by a WFP worker in my home town of Bor. After reading them, I hit delete. We know our problems sir so we don't need reminding. We also know we need help. The sweet irony is that every time you are helping us, we discover how much you need help yourself but you don't know you need help so we can't help you.
So why can't the South produce food for its four boarding secondary schools? Why should our kids be fed on rotten maize and beans imported elsewhere? This writer and many of his colleagues who are very capable young people today had to grow their own food during those days of the liberation struggle. At very tender age, we had three huge plantations at Polataka in the 90's. Why can't the same policy be replicated? Has it died with the late Dr. Garang? The current governor of Jonglei state, Kuol Manyang Juuk, knows this principle very well; why can't he do it now in Jonglei?
When we fail to find answers to these questions, we conclude that people are working for their stomachs. And that the South's officials are suffering from what [New Sudan Vision columnist] Penn de Ngong calls "elephantiasis of the stomach." It is ok buddies, grow your stomachs. Next time we come back, we will poke you in the belly and run away laughing; of course we know you are too heavy to run with us!
To the WFP and other NGO workers and their sponsors, your gestures to help us are appreciated. I guarantee though that you will always have a difficult time should you fail to come to terms with who the Sudanese are. And to the minister of education and your colleagues in other ministries, three years of peace is enough to lay down the right food policy for our schools – let kids grow their food if farmers cannot do it!
Jok Gai is a B.Eng in Electrical Engineering student at the University of Victoria. He is a columnist for The New Sudan Vision
