South Sudan general education minister visits Unity state

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

May 28, 2012 (BENTIU) – South Sudan’s general education minister, Joseph Ukel Abango, visited Unity State after ordering the closure of private universities operating in South Sudan.

Abango told Sudan Tribune on Monday that he was visiting Unity state to investigate the education system.

Higher education minister, Peter Adwok Nyaba, has recently closed 22 universities which had insufficiently qualified teaching staff and facilities. Acknowledging the need for higher education, Abango said, some of closed institution were “operating under trees”.

Unity State has only one operational higher education institution, the semi-public Lich University, which was opened in July 2011. Its construction was announced before South Sudan seceded, by the then president of a united Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, during his 2010 election campaign.

During a briefing to the state governor, Taban Deng Gai, Abango explained that Bashir had announced the construction of universities in Unity, North Bahr-el-Ghazal, as well as Western and Eastern Equatoria states. Despite this being announced while Bashir ruled South Sudan, “if you close the people of the area will get angry,” said Abango, explaining his part in the appointment of a vice-chancellor to the Unity State university.

The Ministry of General Education, Science and Technology is carrying out an investigation into training and education institutions across South Sudan. Governor Deng told the ministers that there are challenges facing students in the state who are unable to enrole in higher education.

He called upon the central government to do more to train teachers and modernise teaching methods. He said that there are sufficient school buildings but not enough qualified staff.

Deng also announced that legislation is soon to be drawn up and implemented, to tackle the issue of teachers sexually abusing and impregnating female students.

(ST)