UN General Assembly
2012

to meet the rapidly increasing demand for secondary education caused by the increase in primary school enrolment. However, the Government still has a long way to go in providing educational opportunities for our children and youth that prepare them for the future and meet their expectations and aspirations. At this juncture, allow me to commend the launch by the Secretary-General of the Global Initiative on Education, which we hope will open up avenues of collaboration between South Sudan and the international community on improving education access for our children. Our nascent nation has been tested enormously in its first year of independence. We have been tested by conflicts within and beyond our borders; we have been tested by severe economic hardship; and we have been tested by the revelation of severe abuse of the public trust and funds resulting partly from malpractice and lack of capacity. The Government is undertaking serious corrective measures and institutional capacitybuilding to address that issue in order to restore public confidence. My Government is striving harder than ever to