Children on the reopening of schools Helene Sandbu Ryeng/Bullen Chol UNICEFSouthSudan/Chol 11 January 2021 "It is super to be back," Emmanuel Wilson (8) says. "I almost forgot how to write when the school was closed." At 26 November 2020, Dumak Primary School in Torit reopened after being closed for 251 days. In March, all schools across South Sudan were closed as a COVID-19 prevention measure. In October, candidate classes were given the green light and little by little teaching resumed in classrooms across the country. UNICEF has supported the Ministry of General Education and Instruction in preparing the reopening. UNICEFSouthSudan/Chol
"Thank God I'm back, most of my girls friends didn't make it. They have dropped out," Mary Biale Daniel is saying (16). "With the resumption of school, I can start chasing my dreams again." The longer children stay out of school, the harder it is to get them back to the classrooms, is UNICEF's experience and now also Mary's. Girls were married off early and some got pregnant while the schools were closed. They will most likely never return to school.