By Alan Clement
Leaders and education advocates in the Abyei Special Administrative Area have called for stronger community financial support for schools during a ceremony organized by former students to honour veteran teachers for their service.
The ceremony, held on 14 March, brought together government officials, former students, community leaders and educators to recognise more than eight deceased teachers and sixteen veteran teachers who served the community over the years.
During the event, speakers emphasised that sustaining education in Abyei requires collective effort from the community, including local contributions and support from the diaspora, rather than relying solely on government resources.
Speaking on behalf of the former teaching staff, veteran educator Dominic Deng Longo expressed gratitude to the former students for recognising the role teachers played in shaping generations of learners in the area.
“This recognition is very important for us. We thank the former students for remembering their teachers and acknowledging the work we did for the community,” he said in a statement.
He urged the administration and traditional leaders to encourage every chiefdom in the area to contribute regularly toward supporting education. “Education is a collective responsibility,” he said adding, “The community must also play a role in supporting schools and teachers.”
According to organisers, the initiative organised by former students who studied in Abyei between 1990 and 2000 aimed to recognise the sacrifices made by teachers and to inspire renewed support for the education sector.
Speaking during the event, former Abyei students’ chairperson Nyankiir Kuol Abeit acknowledged the difficulties teachers went through and attributed the success of many professionals from the area to the dedication of the teachers.
“Our teachers remained steadfast despite the challenges. Their efforts produced educated generations who are now serving the nation,” she noted.
She noted that some former students from the region currently hold senior positions in government, including ministerial roles, while others are contributing to national development across South Sudan.
Kuol also announced that the association’s membership would remain open to all sons and daughters of Abyei living both locally and abroad in order to mobilise wider support for education.
“Our goal is to strengthen education in Abyei by encouraging contributions from all members of the community wherever they are,” she said.
Civil society leaders pressed for stronger community support in schools, with Abyei civil society in Juba chairperson Dier Tong Ngor urging the Ngok community to expand on initiatives begun by former students.
“The community should expand this initiative beyond recognising former teachers,” he said urging the community to also support the current teachers who continue to work under difficult conditions.
Government officials, including Minister of East African Affairs Pieng Deng Kuol, stressed the need for young people to continue their education despite insecurity. He noted that while many had spent years defending the area, they should not abandon their studies.
“Although many of our youth have been involved in defending the land over the last four years, that should not mean they quit school,” he said urging them to continue defending their land while also continuing their education.
Deng further suggested that the former students’ committee consider introducing monthly contributions from members of the diaspora as an additional way to fund education initiatives.
“If such contributions are organised well, they could generate significant resources to support education in Abyei,” he added.
The Chief Administrator of the Abyei Special Administrative Area, Charles Abyei Jok, praised former students for organizing the event and underscoring teachers’ role in community development.
He noted that past administrations struggled to prioritize education due to insecurity but said improved stability could enable greater focus on the sector. “Security concerns have previously consumed much of the administration’s time and resources, but as the situation improves, we are committed to giving education the attention it requires,” he noted.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials including the Speaker of the Abyei Area Legislative Assembly, ministers, traditional leaders, civil society representatives, youth groups, women’s organisations and members of the wider Ngok community.
The recognition of veteran teachers served not only as an appreciation of past contributions but also as a call to mobilise stronger community support to improve education for future generations in Abyei.