CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM ENROLMENT AND RETENTION OF GIRLS IN SCHOOLS OF SOUTH SUDAN: A CASE STUDY OF YAMBO COUNTY, WESTERN EQUATORIA STATE, SOUTH SUDAN

The main objective of the study was to determine the influence of transfer programs on the enrolment and retention of girls in schools in Yambio Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. It focused on the effect of cash transfer usage, cash transfer conditionalities, monitoring, and evaluation on the enrolment and retention of girls in schools in Yambio Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. The researcher uses a qualitative research approach to study and analyse data. The research uses triangulation whereby they use both narrative and content analysis was used to analyse the data collected. The study used 147 respondents, including parents and students’ beneficiaries of the cash transfer program. The study findings revealed that beneficiaries of the cash transfer programs used the money to buy scholastic materials and livestock, to support the provision of food items, and to buy candles and paraffin, among others of which are key in enabling and facilitating enrolment and retention of girls in schools. Study findings also revealed that conditions put in place have enabled the beneficiaries of the cash transfer grants to use the money for their intended purposes. The study later unveiled that monitoring and evaluation of cash transfer programs was key in assessing the performance of the cash transfer programs and thus provided guidance for the effective performance of the cash transfer programs. It was recommended that parents and guardians ensure that they buy scholastic materials, that they provide adequate meals for children, and that they ensure food security, among others. The study also recommended that there was a need to train parents on the purpose of the cash transfer program in relation to keeping girls in school to prevent parents from sending girls to school with the sole purpose of securing cash transfer money. The study also recommended putting in place specialised counsellors to provide guidance to girls sufficiently to appreciate the relevance of education and maintain the education pathway alongside the cash transfer programme.  Article visualizations