N. Bahr el Ghazal governor donates cash, pledges hostel to Juba varsity
By Julius N. Uma
March 11, 2012 (JUBA) — The governor of South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el
Ghazal state, Paul Malong Awan, last week donated SSP100, 000 (about
$30,000) to students of Juba University and pledge to construct a
modern accommodation facility to reduce congestion at the campus.
A visibly excited audience stared in disbelief as Awan handed over the
cash to the student community from the greater Bahr el Ghazal region,
at a colorful ceremony held in Juba, the South Sudan capital.
Speaking at the ceremony to welcome first year students into the
institution as well as their counterparts from Khartoum, the governor
reiterated the national government’s plans to boost education, which
he described as the pillar for nation building.
“When you invest in education, you are directing investing in nation
building and that’s why our government remains committed towards
improving the education sector,” Awan told hundreds of students and
officials gathered at Nyakuron cultural center.
The university, which was founded in 1975, is globally ranked number
7,589, according to the 2012 university web ranking released recently.
In the recent past, however, studies at the 37-year old institution
have been greatly hampered by strikes from both lecturers and
students, financial shortfalls and the recent re-allocation from
Sudan’s capital Khartoum back to Juba.
Meanwhile, at least five students from South Sudan have been earmarked
to benefit from the International University of East Africa (IUEA)
scholarships meant for countries in the Great Lakes region. Others are
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia and the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC).
A student selected under this scheme, Sudan Tribune understands, will
get full tuition scholarship as well as brand new laptops to
facilitate their studies.
Accredited by the National Council for Higher Education in Uganda,
IUEA, which became operational in December 2010, currently offers a
range of degree courses, diplomas and certificates in short courses.
(ST).