Several needy families in Juba, the capital of South Sudan have since 2017 been able to enroll their children at a Chinese -built school located west of the capital due to it’s accessibility and affordable school fees.
Julia Juan Anania, a 50- year- old mother of 4 children who works as a cleaner at Jubek Model Martyrs Secondary School built by the Chinese government and inaugurated in 2017 by the government of South Sudan, said that due to the proximity of the school and affordable fees she wants all her children to enroll in this school.
“I want to enroll all my two kids who sat for the recent certificate of primary education, once they succeed in their exams, they will join Jubek Model Martyrs Secondary School because of the affordable fees, we pay 60,000 South Sudanese Pounds annually,” said Anania a resident of Gudele suburb where the school is located in an interview on Monday.
Anania is currently the sole bread winner for her family because her husband can no longer afford to pay school fees for their four children due to lack of employment.
“I am happy because this school is very cheap compared with other schools, I manage to pay school fees from my meager earnings,” disclosed Anania who also operates a selling point for groceries within the school compound.
Her 18- year- old son Emmanuel Arama Levi is enrolled in senior one at Jubek Model Martyrs Secondary School.
Anania said that she hopes the government opens a university in Gudele, to provide affordable education for children from underprivileged families who cannot afford high tuition at the existing private and public universities in the country.
Grace Geri Nathaniel, 55, a mother of five children in Gudele who also sells groceries adjacent to the school, said she enrolled her daughter in the school not only due to proximity but also quality education and services offered at the school.
“I live very near to the school and my daughter just enrolled last year, this school is good, it is not like other schools, at this school a child can continue with studies as you struggle to pay school fees,” said Geri.
“I have other children in primary school, the elder one who is 20 years old has graduated from college in Khartoum, one of my son who is in senior one was registered at a school in Juba town but he is now at home because of the transport challenges, maybe next year he may also join Jubek Model Martyrs Secondary School,” she added.
Jubek Model Martyrs Secondary School sits on 2,200 square meters and it comprises of 16 class rooms that can accommodate about 1000 students, running water and a 24-hour solar power.
It is unique among other schools because of it’s Chinese architectural design.
The Chinese government has also built two other schools in Yapa and the China Friendship Secondary School in Munuki suburb located all in Central Equatoria state.
Ustaz Swaka Lado Laki, Head Teacher of Jubek Model Martyrs Secondary School for now six years said since 2017 they have graduated about four batches of students.
He said the school initially started with about 600 students but the number has since risen due to the high demand for affordable education among people from far areas of Juba.
“By the time the school opened it was the only secondary school in this area, but now some private schools have sprung up in the area. It is cheaper that is why we are calling it free education because in other schools students pay 80,000 SSP (75 dollars) per term and then for us our students pay 60,000 SSP per year (55 dollars),” said Lado.
The senior four students who are currently sitting for their pre-entry exams for university at the school are 398 this year.
“This is the youngest government run secondary school, so students who passed through this school are either now employed or still pursuing their university education,” said Lado.
He said some of the students come from the neighboring Munuki, Gurei and others from Luri area of Juba.
Lado said that parents are free to pay the 60,000 SSP dubbed “parents support” in installments annually. The government only pays salaries of teachers and support staff in the school.
However, Lado said they remain concerned over the unreliable solar powered electricity which works for few hours and also inadequate water supply due to the weak electricity from the solar panels.
“This one also needs us to talk to the Chinese so that they come and fix the electricity and water,” he said.
He noted that the Chinese company Sinopec Petroleum Construction Shengli Corporation, that built the school has often come back to fix things that need repair such as cracks in the walls and painting of the school.
Lado added that the fence erected around the school by Sinopec Petroleum Construction Shengli Corporation is very short and needs to be enlarged for security reasons.
He also noted that Chinese language program could be introduced in this school because they have enough space to accommodate such programs.
