The State Education Ministry in South Sudan’s Western Bahr El Ghazal has announced the introduction of the new education system starting from next year.

In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday, Minister Michael Madut affirmed that his ministry is ready to implement the new system in the secondary school level by 2015.

“The new education system will be four academic years in the secondary school level instead of three,” he said. “The students who are going to sit for the exams in June will be the last batch,” he explained.

“As the state government we are ready to implement this program, with respect to those students who will repeat the third year in June, they will have to proceed to the fourth year,” emphasized the official.

He noted also that Western Bahr El Ghazal State has been allowed by the national education ministry to continue using the Arabic language as a medium of instruction: “2014 is the last year for the use of Arabic language as a medium of instruction in Western Bahr El Ghazal State.”

The education sector in the state is facing problems owing to the shortages of qualified teachers in Arabic language as well as the lack of teacher training on the new curriculum, according to Madut.

South Sudan has been transitioning away from the education system used in Sudan since the country’s independence in 2011.   

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