Cirisio Zakaria Lado,Central Equatoria State Education Minister (Photo: Alhadi Hawari).

Central Equatoria Minister of General Education Cirisio Zakaria Lado has denied allegations that he sold out portions of land on several schools in Juba while admitting he only leased it to investors.

During a tour of the schools on Friday, National Minister of Education Awut Deng Acuil and Governor Augustino Jadalla found construction taking place at the Supiri Secondary School.

Minister Awut and Central Equatoria governor said they would take Minister Cirisio Zakaria Lado to court on accusations that he sold several public schools to investors.

She also alleged Minister Lado turned the public schools to a private-like schools, sending student home after four hours of classes.

In a joint press conference with the Director General and Supiri headmaster, Minister Lado said said he did not sell the land but leased it to investors.

He said the decision to lease 25 meters by 30 meters portion of the school for 25 years was approved by the different stakeholders in the state.

He said this aimed to improve the environment of the school by building a fence and a standard library.

“We want to inform the general public that, we did not sell any school land in Central Equatoria state,” he told the media.

The stat education minister also argued that the national minister is not responsible for the schools in question.

“We are responsible for what we are saying, let her go and review form 3 and all the information specifically for schools and houses of the teachers and schools, anything connected to this field he’s the one responsible for it.”

Minister Lado added that his office stopped the investment within the school premises following instructions that it is not appropriate.

He however said: “What happened in Supiri school is a library for students to benefit from around the schools of Supiri, Juba Commercial, and Juba day.”

In response to allegations that he has privatized public schools, Lado also denied.

According to him, the schools open evening classes to the South Sudanese returnees from Sudan to learn English.

“She said that I privatized public schools, let her show me these schools that I privatized. Does she mean the evening classes that we don’t have only in our ministry and all over South Sudan?”

Minister Ladu further claimed that Minister Awut’s allegations were based on “rumors.”

“I respect the institutionalism, and I respect the constitution also I respect the regulation of the country because it says that let’s work through a system.”

“Now I am sure minister Awut become a victim of this rumors and she’s not following the official process, which is putting people in this kind of things.”

“We are responsible people and we cannot embarrass ourselves on the roads is not good I want to say that I don’t have any issue with Awut and till now I don’t have any issue.”