On the 4th of March 2017 an historic graduation ceremony took place in Ajuong Thok, South Sudan. It was a colorful celebration in which 70 teachers from Primary Schools of LWF received their Certificate of Education from Emmanuel Christian College. The 70 teachers participated in a 10-month intensive in-service teacher training. 
The aim of the training was to equip student teachers with knowledge and pedagogical skills to improve their teaching, to encourage the participants to become reflective teachers who understand their own role and that of their learners in the classroom. During the training student teachers did a lot of cooperative activities to prepare them for positive teamwork with their colleagues in the school.
Student teachers worked extremely hard as they combined their teaching responsibilities with full participation in this intensive training. Some students were so committed that sometimes they would not eat meals during the day to ensure that they would be in class in time. In the evening some students gathered together under the streetlights to do their group-assignments, because they did not have a torch at home. All 70 participants completed their assignments, presentations and exams successfully.
During the joyful graduation ceremony the teachers were placed in the spotlights. Before the celebration started the graduands marched around in the camp while singing joyful songs about unity. When the official charging of certificates started, the whole congregation started rejoicing. As the graduands came forward one by to receive their certificates, mothers, friends and other people from the congregation cheered them up as they jubilated in their achievement and gave them some creative decorations. It was an emotional moment as some students came forward with tears in their eyes.
Students received congratulations from all official invited guests. The UNHCR representative emphasized that every teacher is influencing so 
many lives of children and are therefore having a very important profession. The guests of honour of the celebration were the Minister of Education and representative of the Governor of Ruweng. Their speeches were encouraging as they were cheering up the graduands.
After the celebration all graduates enjoyed a lunch together with their friends and relatives. The graduates expressed that this was a wonderful day which they would never forget in their lives. It has brought great joy in Ajuong Thok and has been an encouragement for all refugees to continue with education.