THE INFLUENCE OF ARMED CONFLICTS ON THE PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN CENTRAL EQUATORIA STATE SOUTH - SUDAN

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to determine how armed conflicts in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan, have affected performance of higher education. Also, the extent to which security precautions have been put to protect scholars, students, and non-teaching staff members towards quality education. The specific concerns included impacts of armed conflicts on the higher education as a human social-economic engagement as in the case of Central Equatoria State? How the availability of professional skills and training for teachers and lecturers in Central Equatoria State, improved the quality of education in the midst of armed conflicts? , and what efforts have been made to incorporate peace education and accelerated learning into curriculum development in higher education institutions, also, the extent which violent conflicts affect the quality of higher education, and what needs to be done to reduce the corresponding impacts. The study was anchored in conflict theories, especially, the Social Stability and Social Destabilization theories. A mixed-methods approach particularly, convergent-parallel dsign with cross-sectional survey and phenomenology guided the research methodology. The targeted 1527 people who comprised of the Vice Chancelors, administrators, Heads of Departments, students, lecturers, NGOs, legislative assembly, and opinion leaders of both private and public educational institutions. Statified random sampling, as well as purposeful sampling. Data was collected by use of questionnaires, interviews, guided observations, and focus group discussions. Experts in the relevant fields were used to scrutinise the research instruments for their content, criteria, prediction, and concurrent validities.The research tools were pilot tested in one of the universities that was excliuded in the final study. Reliability for quantitative items on Likert scales were determined using the Cronbach alpha technique while that of qualitative items verified in terms of their dependability and credibility. Quantitative items were analyzed using descriptive statistics, which involved summarizing data using frequency, percentage, standard deviation, and means. Inferential statistics notably the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the t-test were used to test the hypothesis. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and presented in form of narratives and direct quotes. The highest standards of research integrity were maintained throughout the research process. Key findings showed that than 30 % of college and university students are forced to relocate because of civil strife. Devastation caused by war, many professors (43%) avoided teaching. Sixty-eight percent of students, are unaware that helpful academic materials (Library services, suggested textbooks) are readily available for them, in their universities’ campuses. About 173 (71.1%) students view professors' resignations as a common occurrence. Armed engagements can be traced back to organized groups, the violent conflict prone nation demoralizes people’s social economic engagements.The study recommended that instilling a desire for peace in the minds of students at the ‘secondary school levels' can be fruitful and is a responsibility which should be shared by all educators. deterrents of military systems or operations in proximity with the public dwellings requires attention. All scholars need to be empowered with conflict management know how, and practices. The youths in South Sudan needs to be conscientised on the dangers of vigilante groupings. Clear public policy deliberations need to articulate universities’ security policies. This research did not find out influences of the external influences, foreign interests in the armed conflicts in South Sudan.