Government Announces Plan to Rehabilitate Seven Primary Schools in Yei County

(YEI RIVER COUNTY) — The national and county governments have announced plans to rehabilitate several dilapidated government primary schools across urban and remote areas of Yei River County.

On Thursday, the County Commissioner, Hon. Samuel Henry Malimbo, accompanied by senior officials from the National Ministry of General Education and Instruction, conducted an inspection visit to Marakonye Primary School along Yei Airstrip Road. The visit aimed to assess conditions ahead of a planned rehabilitation program.

The initiative forms part of a broader effort by the national government with support from the World Bank, to improve learning environments and strengthen education services across the county.

Rubaya Rose Wani, an official from the Ministry’s Directorate of Planning and Budgeting, said the program will target the renovation of more than seven schools across Tore, Lasu, Yei Town and Mugwo Payams. In addition to infrastructure upgrades, the initiative will provide school furniture and teacher training to enhance the quality of education.

Babu Emmanuel, representing the Directorate of Gender at the Ministry, commended county authorities for facilitating the assessment exercise. He emphasized that strong collaboration between local and national stakeholders is essential to ensure successful rehabilitation and adequate support for teachers.

At Marakonye Primary School, Headteacher Alemin Benson welcomed the initiative, noting that the school currently has an enrollment of 205 pupils—95 boys and 110 girls. However, he highlighted persistent challenges, including lack of access to clean water, insufficient teachers, low salaries, and inadequate furniture.

“The children are forced to cross the road in search of water, which exposes them to risks, salary payment and in adequate teachers are among other major challenges facing learning in the community ” Benson said.

A community member, Moses Kenyi, echoed the concern, calling for the urgent provision of a reliable water source within the school compound to improve safety and learning conditions.

Commissioner Malimbo reaffirmed the county government’s commitment to working closely with national authorities and development partners to address challenges in the education sector and ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for all children.

The assessment team is expected to compile its findings to guide the rehabilitation process and determine priority schools across the county.