The education department of the Abyei Area Administration says that new controls are needed to prevent the illegal sale of school materials at markets across Abyei.

“Books and stationery provided by INGOs and the education authorities are often seen on sale, when they should be used by students,” reports Abyei Today newsletter.

Abyei’s education department says it is storing textbooks which will be distributed at the start of the next school year, in April.

The director of primary schools, Chol Ngor Chol, said there needs to be a new system where each book would receive three stamps – from the South Sudanese ministry of education; from the Abyei education office; and from individual schools.

Abyei Today reports that under this plan schools would be required to keep books for two or three years.

File photo: South Sudanese primary school texbooks