Education
Source: Sudan Tribune
The recent handover ceremony of Al-Jazeerah state's Al-Komor Village Girls' Primary School, which has undergone a series of extensive refurbishments, was attended by a number of foreign and Sudanese dignitaries.
The project was funded by the Japanese government through its grant assistance scheme for grassroots and human security projects (GGP).
The Japanese ambassador to Sudan, Ryoichi Horie, state minister of education Abdalla Alturabi and commissioner of South Al-Jazeerah locality Mohamed Alnor Omer Abu Hassan were among those to attend the event on the 18 March.
The project provided for the construction of two new classrooms, teachers' offices and toilets, as well as upgrades to six existing classrooms and two teachers' offices.
The Japanese ambassador said the project was intended to improve the educational environment at the school, which currently has 280 student enrolments and 16 teachers on staff.
Speaking at the ceremony, Horie emphasised the importance of primary education in supporting children's personal development in order for them to realise their true potential.
A statement issued by its embassy in Khartoum said the Japanese government has made significant contributions to socio-economic development in Sudan, particularly in Al-Jazeerah state, where it has been providing technical assistance in rice production and irrigation.
It has also provided funding assistance for the construction of two other primary schools in the region.
The Japanese GGP scheme is designed to support projects that address basic human needs, such as access to health, water and sanitation, education, skills development, and other means to maximise opportunities for individuals, particularly at community level.
The Japanese government recently announced it would contribute $37.7 million to the United Nations and other international organisations to help consolidate peace efforts in conflict-affected areas in Sudan.
The contribution is expected to provide emergency assistance to internally displaced persons, refugees and returnees, with the biggest chunk going to the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR), which will receive $15 million to fund its protection programmes for at risk people.