Prefects Board Mentorship and Career Chat project underway in Juba and Kajokeji

Author: Emmanuel Bida | [email protected]

Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS) commenced a prefectural board mentorship program and career chat sessions on Monday last week in four Juba-based schools and one Kajokeji county-based school in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State.

Participating schools include Juba Parents’ High (Juba), Golden High (Juba), AIC New Foundation Primary (Juba), Nyakuron Central Academy (Juba), and Ebenezer Primary (Kajokeji).

“The prefects board mentorship program helps develop leadership skills, foster a sense of community, and encourage civic responsibility among student leaders. The goal of the career chat is to equip students with the inspiration and information to make better-informed decisions about their future career paths,” said Khemis Simon Stephen, a Project Assistant at the organisation.

For Moga Edward, a mentor at Golden High School, the prefects on the first day of the mentorship were introduced to Vision Development as student leaders, the process of vision development and its benefits. He reported that the prefects were able to identify visionary leaders both presently and in the past and what their visions were.

“They were then guided to point out three of their key roles in the respective posts they hold. This was a time well spent for us,” he stated.

“In the first week, the pupils were introduced to what a career is, career planning with an emphasis on self reflection and career exploration. It was nice experience,” a mentor at AIC New Foundation Primary School reported to the organisation on Friday last week.

A baseline survey and needs assessment by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan (EFSS) in Juba, Yei and Kajokeji counties between October 2021 and March 2022 found out that many upper primary and secondary school students choose a career based on parental, peer, and societal influence, and drop out of education post-secondary school due to a lack of guidance.

The assessment also identified a gap in awareness of careers and leadership roles among pupils and students. To address these issues, a prefectural board mentorship and career guidance project was launched in Juba and Yei in 2022, aimed at helping students transition from school to workforce and higher education. The project was piloted in six (06) schools including three secondary and three primary schools in Juba and Yei counties of Central Equatoria State, serving students with poor self-concept, low levels of aspiration, lack of academic and social skills, cultural disadvantage, and low motivation.

Juba Day, Juba Commercial and Yei Day Secondary Schools were among those in the pilot phase while the primary schools included Bishop Mazzoldi Memorial, Saint Philip and Narrow gate.

“The project is aimed at improving students' occupational aspirations and self-concepts through innovation, increased guidance personnel, and critical thinking around the implications of each subject they learn in school,” Khemis Simon Stephen said.

A school head teacher commented after a Career Chat session on Friday last week thanking Excellence Foundation for South Sudan, for making this activity happen adding his school administration has realized its impacts on the learners.