South Sudan: Our doomed future at the University of Juba
By Marial Mangar Akol, Juba, South Sudan
Saturday, March 2 2019 (PW) — Ever since the inception of our independence, the Republic of South Sudan, the education system had been looming before our watchful eyes. The pitiable newly born nation has at the early stage stranded, moribund and barefaced at the hand of most insignia and fealty leaders.
They may say it’s because of country political turmoil but the reality is that those running the ministry of Higher Education are galaxies of unlettered, undescribed subset not qualified to delineate or typify the most productive national ministry. I referred to Ministry as an institution run by undescribed personals for reasons that, there is no proper line of approach between the ministry and five public Universities.
They made an overestimated admission that at the end fall victim. In these universities, 50% of students supposedly are government sponsored while the same percentage enrolled themselves directly to boost university administration financially. They failed in so doing and lastly failed to question university why they ask this huge amount from students as they are responsibly in paying all their due costs.
I am corrosively smothered and hassled at the increase of tuition fees in University of Juba by Vice chancellor Prof. John Akec. The ever vice chancellor I have coalesce bestowed my trust and honor might have luxuriously dinner with some malevolent elements I am suspecting. In the college of Medicine, for example, in which the notice was published.
Private intake was 32,350 and now 82,000 SSP Government’s admission from 8,580 – 62,000 SSP Is it stratagem or tuition fees? It may be stratagem because he is using black market rate. We supposed as he intended to pay 250 USD, which by official rate 150.00 is 37,600 SSP, and in black market rate 250.00 this why it is 62,500 SSP.
Dear readers, it’s now nine years from the date we attained our sovereignty as independent state and if people said South Sudan is not develop like other African Countries. They said, Rome was not built in one day. Oppositely they are asking huge amount of money from poor students claiming education if not cheap in other African Countries.
How healthy is this contradictions? I paid 7,080 SSP last year and now asked to pay 60,000 SSP, look at the gap. Even shame could tremble you at the middle at the night.
If few effulgents with technocratic mind could imagine, 75% approximately of students studying in University of Juba are government sponsored students and the Government had shouldered the responsibilities in paying all their academic due costs. Thusly Supposed if there are financial constraints encountered administratively, they should be handled circumspectively and amicably with the ministry concern rather than swindling from the poor
students.
Imagine, can these students who have sacrificed their lovely sleeping nights throughout to meet government’s required percentage be victimized? No! If national examinations board is at abyss and unfathomed with avidly manner to acquire wealth through examinations leaking, is it a student’s fault to deserved ill castigation?
In Ministry of education with their spurious system characterized by corruption, nepotism, state-ism name them, the national examinations become educational commodity on the market table promiscuously manipulated to their respective states and schools which later resulted to majority of students passing with higher percentages that as required are entitled to government’s sponsorship.
They should have restricted examinations without leaking and afterwards admit few best students. In other countries, best few bright students who performed as needed are selected to benefit in the Government scholarship leaving the rest to sponsor themselves which is different in our case.
Those beneficiaries would not be asked even a coin. But I wonder why would those sponsored by government are extraneously asked to pay their tuition fee which the Government already pay? Yes it was accepted, that students must pay half of the fees which by simply arithmetic could not be that much.
On the other hand however, it is commonly known that some of our parents are peasants and others are government’s employees. While in government, most highly paid as per salary scale we know are judges and lecturers that end per month 30,000_32,000 SSP. Where do you expect students to get money bigger than their parents salaries regardless of the fact that all students are not sons and daughters of the above said persons and/or businessmen/women?
In conclusion, this business molding architectured aperture within University of Juba must be grid off. I know they don’t care for their children are studying abroad in the most expensive schools. They may proceed ahead giving us their usual deaf ears though majority of students are expected to drop out but they must also know that we are here seriously to accomplish our educational goals.
I never mind how your children will brightly learn in East Africa or where so ever they may be, You are now reading my article and this is what I have learnt here in South Sudan. I have never gone anywhere.
If there are errors, these are my own personal challenges and that is why I am still studying, I wanted to improve. Our struggle for better education continues, no retreat and no surrender.
The writer, Marial Mangar Akol, is a 3rd Year student in University of Juba. I am reachable at mmangar55@gmail.com
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