Kon Anok Secondary School

Homeless Under the Bridge

Many years ago, there was a poor homeless man who used to stay under a bridge in the city begging for his daily needs while sheltered under the bridge.

With his sad face and obvious poverty and loneliness the man will be seen holding his old, best up violin and often played in attempt to catch the attention of the people passing by hoping to get some money but sadly he was hard noticed or given an attention to.

One day, a stronger came up to the homeless under the bridge and stood near him for a little while then, came closer, looked at him and his empty hat with no money thrown in by anyone yet! The beggar looked back at the stranger hoping that he will get some money or food from him, he continued looking at the beggar but not giving him anything! Suddenly and unexpectedly, the stranger asked the beggar to give him the violin, so he did! The stranger stood next to the homeless and started to play the violin so beautifully that the people were compelled to stop and listen. One after the other, people gathered to listen and the beggar's hat was filled with money, even police officers came to check what the crowd about, they stopped and enjoyed the music and put the money in the beggar's hat.
While the stranger continued to play and the number of people gathered increased, the music was beautiful and the hat was overflowing with money a soft voice was wondering became louder amongst the crowd.

This story may resemble the life of many of us. We are beggars under the bridge of life, homeless and miserable and burdened with cares and concerns. We may have tried to bring out of sadness and heavy hearts joyful music but in vain.

Revelation 3:20 says, "here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink." John 7:37

So let's all children come to school.

Our ancestors told us, don't use the God's name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it. Heaven is God's throne, and the earth is God's footstool, so don't swear by any of them.

My Signature, Not Your Condition

The well dressed rich looking business man stopped where the poor beggar was seeking help. Their eyes met, and for a moments, they didn't recognize each other. The poor man with torn dirty clothes suddenly called by name the wealthy business man! The rich man suddenly remembered him! Wow, what happened, the rich man wondered! They were schoolmates. He greeted the beggar warmly and was moved by his classmate's condition and so quickly pulled out his check book and wrote him a check with considerable amount of money saying, "take this, cash it out and start a small project with, and don't beg no more". Not only that, but he also handed him his business card with personal phone number asking him to call if he should need anything and without hesitation.
Reluctantly, the beggar took the check and the card with tears in his eyes overcome with gratitude. He went to the bank, stood by the door, thought for a little, "would it be really that easy the bank will allow me to cash such a big check in this condition?" He said to himself, that it is impossible for a poor with this appearance to cash out such a big amount of money. He tore the check into pieces, trashed and went back to begging!
Few days later, the rich classmate went to check him at the same corner, he found him there still begging. He asked him, "what happened? Did you get the money? Did you need more? Why didn't you call?"
The beggar told his classmate what he happened, so the rich friend was upset and said, "what would let the bank see the value in the check is not who you're or how you look, but my signature. It is my signature not your condition.

Dear friends, it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. How deceiving it is when Satan, the lair tells you nothing will happen unless you clean up yourself first, improve your behavior before you started anything new in your life . That's a liar. Accept the offer and go with flow. Otherwise, you will forever hate your friends.

Kon Anok was a hero. A true worrier and a liberator at the same time. He fought Angolo Egyptian Administrators in 1919s out of Aliab. He was later captured, arrested and taken to Magalla payam of Central Equatoria State as ransome and sentenced to death. Kon Anok history in the history of South Sudan liberation is recognized.

KON ANOK SECONDARY SCHOOL (KASS)

The school was established by the government of S-Sudan ministry of High Education in 2013 and is (was) located in Mingkaman IDPs camp -Awerier County Eastern part of Lakes State Capital (Rumbek) and the address is P.O.Box-Mingkaman Awerier County, Lakes State.

SCHOOL BACKGROUND

KASS was established in 2013 to provide Higher Education to the internally displaced people and the Host Communities in Mingkaman, Awerier County, Lakes State, Republic of S-Sudan; KASS is the only government secondary school in greater Awerier covering seven payam of Awerier County e.i Puluk, Dor, Magok, Bunagok, Abuyung, Alel, and Nile payam.
Since establishment the school through community and other like minded partners including the national ministry of Higher Education have been able to meet learning requirements of the students amidst challenges that face the IDPs camp and the Host Community as will be stated in our SWOT analysis.
The school has facilities of four class rooms that can host 45 students from senior one up to senior four, seven government certified teachers. The school has a vast land with play ground and basic sanitary facilities for both boys and girls. Most students who finished their primary eight certificates can not afford to meet the government fee requirements of 1,400ssp per term due to their status as most of their parents lost properties and the government inability to pay salaries to parents who serves in the public service. The school currently remains with support of volunteer teachers who on the other hand are not regular due to the fact that they as well face challenges of livelihood.

SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES

The school was named after a great worrior Kon Anok who fought the British colony in 1818-19 which is a strong hold in the heart of the community in greater Awerier in Lakes State. In fact Kon Anok history is available at www.konanok.com should be considered as a UNESCO heritage site in the Republic of S-Sudan and that's what makes the school to have history in this region.
The school has greater opportunities due to the fact that it can support a wider geographical area as well bridge the illiteracy gap within the IDPs camp and the Host Community.
If the school is well service, it will meet the educational requirement of the populous youth who face challenges of learning centres. Due to this most youth ended settling in cattle camps or face early marriage without any opportunity for higher education.

CHALLENGES FACING KASS

The school having been established in 2013 during the S-Sudan crisis to provide education to IDPs and the Host Community has a lot of challenges to include:-

1- support for teachers
2- staff offices
3- school fence
4- library
5- science laboratory
6- girls' sanitary services
7- school furniture
8- staff furniture
9- staff accommodation

The school has a great focus and opportunities that can help in changing the attitude of the youth both male and female to overcome the cultural challenges such as forced and early marriage. It will as well play a very important role in capacity building for the youth in order to provide them with alternative opportunities that focus on personal and community development thereby supporting the government and the community effort towards peace building and social integration.

CONCLUSION

We intend to share our challenges with like minded partners who can be at a position to partner with us with a focus of saving a generation while providing opportunities for learning to the youthful population.

www.konanok.com