Zim to assist South Sudan craft education curriculum

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE Government is negotiating with South Sudan to capacitate the youngest African nation in crafting its education curriculum and strengthening its national examination system. South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011, marking an end to a civil strife that dogged the oil rich countries for years.

South Sudan, which is in the process of rebuilding, has engaged Zimbabwe, which is rated among the most literate countries in Africa, to set up a viable education sector.

The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Lazarus Dokora, told Senators last Thursday that the Government was working closely with South Sudan in improving its education sector.

He said the Government would be sending some of its retired educationists to assist South Sudan improve its education system. “They are trying to carve a national system for themselves and they have made indications that they want to work with us to assist them,” Cde Dokora said.

“As for information, the matter that I am aware of relating to possible collaboration with the Republic of South Sudan relates to capacitating them to develop their own national curriculum system, and also assisting them in strengthening their national examination system. That is what I am aware of”.

Cde Dokora said the negotiations have reached an advanced stage.

He said Zimbabwe was also training South Sudanese school heads in capacity building programmes.

“Our proposal has yet to be material although it has gone through the relevant stages of approval in the Government system. We are at a stage where we have invited them to have a final look at the proposed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) relating to those areas of co-operation. When that becomes operational, we will be making use of some of our retirees and for short stints, some of our expert inspectors and directors to ensure that we assist the sister Republic to set up its own systems,” Cde Dokora said.

The Minister said South Sudan has already engaged countries that include Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya in crafting its education curriculum.

The development comes at a time when the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development is working on logistical issues relating to the exportation of labour.

South Sudan is among the countries that have expressed interest in absorbing Zimbabweans who want to work in the oil rich country.