The project covers 3 comparatively secure regions across the south of Sudan. It is complex in design with multiple partners involved in technical guidance and project implementation and multifaceted in scope, covering curricula development, establishment of a sustainable teacher training infrastructure, rehabilitation of community based schools (primary and secondary), training of management of educational institutions, income generation activities in support of maintenance of facilities, establishment of literacy and vocational NFE capacities etc. The intention of the project is to establish a local level capacity in basic education that is durable in itself and applicable for continued service in the aftermath of the current civil war.For further details please see the technical proposal RFA 623-02-009, dated June 10 2002.
CARE will work as primary contractor to USAID in implementing the SBEP. CARE will work with its main partners; American Institutes for Research, University of Massachusetts, Save the Children US, and World Vision and secondary partners, New Sudan council of Churches, Makerere University, Kyambogo Teachers Training College and INGOs and SINGOs operational in Sudan.Amidst the conflicts that have engulfed southern Sudan for 19 years families and communities in many areas have managed to establish schools for their children. With support from international NGOs about 400 out of 1,300 schools have been rehabilitated. But much more remains to be done to provide education for the vast majority of southern Sudanese children. Currently only about 20-30% of school age children are enrolled in school. Dropout rates are high, especially for girls, as only 12% of pupils continue past grade four. Teachers work primarily on a voluntary basis and international assistance has been mainly in the form of school supplies and emergency teacher training. Despite on-going political and ethnic conflicts, southern Sudanese education administrators see the need to develop more and better schools and have begun to put in place a supportive policy environment for improving education. The Sudan Basic Education Program is a five year, $20 million program that will increase equitable access to quality education in southern Sudan by focusing on: improving teacher education programs, increasing the capacity of primary and secondary schools to delivery quality education, especially for girls', improving non-formal education for out-of-school youth and adult learners. The program will work in three regions of southern Sudan (Upper Nile, Bahr el Ghazal, and Equatoria). At the full level of funding, the program will: rehabilitate four Regional Teacher Training Institutes owned and managed by Sudanes, foster partnerships between Sudanese teacher training institutes and teacher training institutions in East Africa and the US, sustainably rehabilitate 290 primary schools and 10 secondary schools‚ increase the supply of school materials provided by the Sudanese private sector, promote non-formal education and distance learning for up to 20,000 out-of-school youth and adult learners.
