Find the good and praise it: Fascinating changes brought by Prof. Abraham Matoch Dhal to Dr. John Garang University in Bor, Jonglei State

By Lueth Reng Lueth, Juba, South Sudan

Friday, October 09, 2020 (PW) — In 2019, Professor Abraham Matoch Dhal was appointed as anew Vice Chancellor for Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology (Dr. JG-MUST) by Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan as a replacement of Professor Julia Aker Dhuany, the first South Sudanese female to be appointed to that males dominated position. The decree for his appointment which was aired out on SSBC came as a joyous evening event to those whose ears atuned to the news since it was a normal and peaceful transfer of power. 

Upon his arrival to the University and as he was officially given his office, Prof. Dhal began his work with the most serious problems thatwere almost militating and jeopardizing the operation of the University and he was able to solve them in less than no time. Tonight I have chosen to write this piece so that it expresses my appreciation and also shines a light on those achievements that we have realized just in a year as a result of the arrival of Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal to our great University.

(1) Graduation ceremony

For the last 13 years, the University had never conducted any graduation ceremony and as such, the batches accumulated since 2008. But to solve this deprecating challenge, Prof. Dhal thought of the important of conducting the University’s first graduation with the theme “cerebrating our 13 years of services and achievements of our students.” The ceremony brought in the Vice President, Dr. James Wani Igga who was officially delegated by Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan. Also, the Chairperson for the University’s Council and his teams were in attendance as well as many other dignitaries both from the national and state levels of government. 

In his remark (He is a leader and professor you can be proud of as he slowly moves toward the lectern), Prof. Dhal urged the graduates to act as advocates for change (s) in the country. He further instructed the graduates in their difference fields of specialization to go and expeditiously demonstrate to the locals the important of education. The locals who were interviewed by journalists expressed their exhilaration to the Vice Chancellor and the whole family of DR. JG-MUST for the knowledge they have given to their sons and daughters without reservation. They have never opted for green pastures because they want to educate our kids,said one of the attendees. 

It was a thrilling moment to those who came to witness the graduation for the first time in their lives, some even shed tears as they reach out to kiss and hug their loved ones (the tears they shed were not tears of agony or predicament but rather tears of joy and happiness).

(2) Upgrading of Dr. John Garang University to the word class standard

The President of the Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Maryardit directed the group of companies having known for thebest construction to upgrade Dr. John Garang University to the world class standard (These companies are under Intertorco Europe S.A). The decision was meant to change the monolithic structures of Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology and also put it at the top list of the world class Universities as one of the world research centers (it’s going to attract foreign students). Although the formal procedures for the construction of the University were made clear in the office of the President, there seemed to be something that held up the progress and that was allaying the undersigning of the documents that would guarantee the payment of the money to the contractors after they have accomplished their task (this was said publicly by the Chairperson for University’s Council during the graduation ceremony). 

In order to achieve this at the right time possible, Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal devoted much of his time and energy to  entice the Minister of Finance and Planing toappend his signature (s) on the few documents that were reserved for him so that the construction could begin before the rain commence. His commitment has yielded fruits and now the construction has started with the survey of the roads that will interlink the colleges as well as demarcation of the land that belongs to the University (although the construction is rifled with huddles and challenges of our world, we still hope to see the contractors coming back for construction). What was deemed to be impossible became possible and therefore, all the doubts that were in people got disappeared. 

I must admit that the administration of Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal has given everybody enormous confidence and strength of purpose of what is required out of the leader. This great idea which originated in the office of the President and being implemented by the Ministry of Finance and Planing as a result of his follow up will forever remain as his achievement until we leave the world here after.

(3) Recruitment of the teaching staff

As he enquired to know the number of Teaching Assistants (TAs), Lecturers and Professors in their categories i.e. Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and full Professors, Prof. Dhal found out the need of increasing the number of teaching staff in each college for the effectiveness of the lectures. Therefore, tomake the above narration a reality event, he instructed the Academic Registrar through the office of DVC for Academic Affairs to publish the note that invites the willing applicants to apply for the posts. Although he was tied down by his office assignments, Prof. Dhal traded off some of those duties and opted to be with the panel that was conducting the interview. 

As an evaluated Professor and somebody who has reached the final lap of the academic journey, Prof. Dhal could ask the candidates to fully depend their scores. The interview was free of corruption and each of the candidates was nudged by his/her well built academic wall, and therefore many capable and productive individuals who are able to uplift the academic integrity of the University were recruited. This bold decision has restored the hope of many students who could think that they are deprived of their future and that of the nation.

(4) Extension of the hours for light

The water that is used at the campus for drinking and other purposes is pumped from the ground to the water tanks by the generator, and for the tanks to be filled to their brims; the generator has to work approximately for 15-16 hours (water for bathing was even an issue in the past because generator used to operate for few hours). But to solve this problem, Prof. Dhal ordered the operator for the generator to make the schedules of the light (power) as follow: 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM – 5.00PM and then from 7:00 PM -10:00 PM. 

This plan really works very well and therefore, issue of water as well as light shortages were fully addressed, and students are now able to finish their evening prep as they wanted. Apart from fulfilling the needs of the students, Prof. Dhal also believed that the availability of light as scheduled above would allow his teaching staff to prepare their lecture notes more easily. “The presence of light at a constant supply will benefit the Research Fellows including myself,” he added. This decision prompted many students in first semester and second semester of 2019 to fully pay their tuition fees because they have seen that Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal is prioritizing their needs.

(5) Revival of the University Pharmacy

Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal chose to revive the University’s Pharmacy which had been closed for a very long time since the Moldavians left the place: the University was under the administration of the Maldovians, people from the Republic of Moldava and they then called it “Dr. John Garang Memorial Institute of Science and Technology”. The resumption of the operation of the University’s drug store has saved the students and the entire family of DR. JG-MUST from buying the medicines in the market whose prices are skyrocketing. 

Also, through his good relations with the Ministry of Health, he managed to get medicos (doctors) who are determined to help at any time the student or any worker of the University falls sick.” With precarious and appalling economy of our country, the students will no longer buy the pricey medicines in the market from the Wealth Hungry Pharmacists who want to make quick money at the expense of the poor people,’’ said Gai Pandak Deng, the student of chemistry at our evening round table discussion.

(6) Academic inspirer and influencer

Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal’s love and appetency (desire) to foster learning in South Sudan became visible to the students when he was allocated a course by the Dean, college of Environmental Studies. Despite his busy weekly schedules, Prof. Dhal wholeheartedly agreed to lecture a course to the combined class of third and fourth year in the department of Environmental Science (as a class President, I had the privilege of meeting him for a talk in his office on the behave of the students who were offering Environmental Economics). This worthwhile decision makes him the first Vice Chancellor to have spared his time and ever lectured at Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology and as such, all the teaching staffers of the University have now developed a positive forward momentum to their daily lectures than before.

This is because he has illuminated the passage that everybody should follow. “The reputation that has been built by Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal will act as a swallow hole to anyone who will succeed him,” said Lual Abraham Deng, the former Secretary General of the Students’ Union and now the Speakerof URc when he saw Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal delivering lectures in the classroom designated for Alternative Education. Prof. Dhal’s erudition in the field of Economics, ability of authoring and co-authoring books can easily be noticed in his eloquent explanation of the subject matter and therefore, wewere lucky to be the first students whom he stood before themand being taught by him. While in the class, Prof. Dhal is one man who allows his students to ask critical questions and give appropriate answers. He says this is meant to know whether the students have understood the lecture or not. 

“I’m not a Vice Chancellor in your class but a Professor, an evaluated Professor who can be asked tough questions,” said Prof. Dhal on his first day in our class. The way he fashions and simplifies his lectures can make the students recite the material (s) so easily. I must say that there is a flash of inspiration and an influence one can discover from his lectures. Prof. Dhal is a repository of Economics to the aspiring students in our country. This is a word I can use to describe the knowledge and expertise that I have found from Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal.

(7) Students’ leadership

Dr. John Garang Students’ Union operation was suspended in 2015 due to what the administration of the University described as “lack of high level ethics and worthy qualities,” from its members. The custody of the Students’ Union had robed the students of their liberty, rights, freedom and other indispensible privileges. But upon the arrival of Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal as a new Vice Chancellor for Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology in 2019, the Students’ Union was resuscitated.

The first thing he did was to read the Constitution in order to know whether it’s partial (bias) or not, and after a lengthy peruse of its compositions and structures, he joined the legal experts in endorsing the use of that Constitution, and without overdue, he financed the activities of the election when the account of the Union was reported bankrupt (lack of Students’ Union didn’t allow the students to have their own bank account). This explains why the activities of the election ran swiftly. In the inauguration ceremony for the Union’s leaders which was attended by many intellectuals from the state government, Prof. Dhal acknowledged the weighty of Students’ leadership at the University. 

“The Students’ Union is a platform that is meant to nurture, train and prepare the students for the future leadership of the country,” said Prof. Dhal. The students who were exasperated as a result of the absence of the Union were once again beaming with invincible hope and therefore, their enthusiasm to the Vice Chancellor was evidenced by their posts on social flat forms most notably Face book and Twitter.

(8) Improvement of security unit

Since the whole of 2017 and 2018 (It may date back) I had never seen the security guard who could sit and wait to open the gate of the University for the cars and motor cycles to enter andalso to check the people who enter the campus for the fear of vile motive one may have on other people. But upon the arrival of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal to Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, the security unit became more functional than I used to know.

The first thing he did was to task the technical teams to build the room for the guards at the main gate of the University and to my astonishment; the room was built in a day. Also the guards who were not attending to their day and night duties became active in providing protection to the students and as such, the fear of unknown from the general students faded away, and therefore the students once again start to have peace of mind. Another ingredient that made the guards active in their work was the distribution of the bicycles to each and every one of them (this ease their to and fro movements as the terms and conditions ofwork require them to have day and night work rotation). 

The drivers and cyclists who were using the entry point of the administrative block as their parking lot were reprimanded to leave theirs at the gate as the security guard is there to carefully look after them (lacked of the guards at the gate could not allowthem to leave their cars and motor cycles far from them). This unfeigned conclusion has by far worked well not only to the students but also to the whole family of DR. JG-MUST.

(9) Replacement of the contractor

In 2017 and 2018 (it may date back), the University had been experiencing food ration shortage (s). The shortage (s) waslargely attributed to the following; (1) supply of food items in small quantities by the contractor which was not enough to complete the semester leave alone the academic year; (2) Repudiation (refusal) of the contractor to use his own money as the Ministry of Finance prepare to pay the money. In other words, the contractor had to wait to be paid first by the Ministry of Finance so that he could be able to purchase the food items for the students. The shortages of the food items in the past years had interfered with the lectures and exams of the students as the University can’t really operate without the lunch and the super of the students (both indigenes of Mading-bor and those who come from far places have no financial power to feed fromtheir own pockets for a year.

So the government decided to be providing free meals to all the students in its five public Universities). But when Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal was appointed as a new Vice Chancellor and having been informed about the situation of the students when it comes to their feeding, he chose to terminate the contract and look for another contractor who would abide by and adhere to the terms and conditions of the agreement. 

The new food ration contractor that was selected out of many by him and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology has surpassed all the expectations, and therefore the academic year of 2019/2020 finished successfully without impediments. Prof. Dhal saw thisas a visionary leader who is humble enough to serve the people at the small capacity given to him by the President (Chancellor).

(10) Re-attachment of the South Sudan flag back to the flag staff

Since the time the nation’s flag was torn into parts in the crisis of 2013, the institution had been operating without its flag and that of the nation leave alone the flag of the State and Bor Municipal Council (BMC). But in 2019, when Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal came in as a new Vice Chancellor, he felt the need of putting up South Sudan’s flag, University’s flag, Jonglei State’s flag and Bor Municipal Council’s flag back to the flagstaff. The purpose of this decision is to instill in the students some sense of nationalism, patriotism and integrity among many others (South Sudan’s flag reminds us of who we are and what we will becomewhen it sways up there importunately).

The raising of South Sudan’s flag filled the hearts of the students with pride as the colours such as black, white, red, blue, green and their yellow star dance in the slow wind against the night sky. The meanings of the colours were deconstructed by Hon. Kuol Manayang Juuk to the students and the attendees of the occasion and they were full well understood. The day was attended by many other government officials as well as all the University employees and students. When the occasion was winding up, the University Women Association started to sing their local songs in which they have praised Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal and some other prominent people at the University.

From that day, Prof. Abraham Matoc Dhal answered a questionof why the great institution like DR. JG-MUST is allowed to operate without a nation’s flag. ln this part of the article, I must admit that hardwork, patriotism and meekness are some of the dispositions that students and employees of the University have found in Prof. Matoc in less than no time.

The Author was a Chairperson for Environmental Society at DR. John Garang Memorial University of Sciences and Technology (DR. JG-MUST). He is now an Environmental (a Science) Opinion Writer for Juba Monitor Daily Newspaper. He can be reached for comments via luethrengluethdit@gmail.com or mobile number: 0928199973

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