TORIT, South Sudan – Eastern Equatoria State’s caretaker education minister has directed Drop in Bucket, a non-governmental organization, to suspends its scholarship programmes pending improved coordination with government institutions.
Caretaker Education Minister Ibwaha Lucy summoned the organization to explain its activities after the ministry raised concerns that its scholarship programmes were being implemented without prior coordination with the state government.
The ministry said Drop in Bucket operates between Magwi County in South Sudan and Gulu District in northern Uganda, with its scholarship activities reportedly concentrated in Nimule Town Council.
Lucy questioned whether the programme was benefiting people across the state’s counties and administrative areas, calling for a fairer distribution of scholarship opportunities.
She called for the suspension of scholarship and other sponsorship activities until arrangements could be made to ensure that all counties and administrative areas benefited fairly.
Drop in Bucket Programme Manager Paul Lokaba acknowledged the coordination challenges and apologized to the Ministry of Education and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission for inadequate communication between the organization and government institutions.
Lokaba said the organization would put its scholarship programmes on hold until it established closer cooperation with the relevant ministries and institutions.
He also agreed to review the scholarship scheme serving South Sudanese beneficiaries in Nimule and Magwi County, as well as Ugandan beneficiaries in Gulu District, pending improved coordination with the authorities.
The ministry said coordination with government institutions was necessary to promote transparency, accountability and equitable access to educational opportunities.