Unity state provides financial assistances to student unions in universities
October 14, 2015 (JUBA) – Authorities in South Sudan’s oil-producing Unity state have approved 350,000 South Sudanese pounds (SSP) to help finance activities of student unions at various universities in and outside South Sudan.
State minister of youth, culture and sports, Lam Tungwar, told Sudan Tribune on Wednesday that the state governor demonstrated “leadership” to assist students in various universities in the country and abroad.
“I commend the leadership of our caretaker governor, Dr. Joseph Nguen Monytuil for demonstrating this leadership to support activities of the unions and associations of our students at various universities,” Tungwar said in a statement extended to Sudan Tribune.
“This is the first time the government, despite the biting economic situation with which the country and the state is grappling, took a bold decision to act. Now the unity state government had approved 350,000 South Sudanese pound as funds to support Unity State Student Unions in five (5) universities in South Sudan,” he said.
He further added that women unions, youth unions, Unity state sports association and those in the diaspora in Kenya, Uganda, Egypt and Sudan will benefit from the offer.
The announcement, he said, comes after a long screening of eligibility of the unions and associations and how best the government of the state could support them and sustain the support monthly.
“This is something new from the state and we all embrace and welcome it and congratulate Dr. Joseph Monytuil for thinking about the young generation and making them his priority,” reads the statement.
“We know that the students face a lot of challenges with their school fees and sometimes even medical fees. This amount will help each of these groups to better plan how to manage their activities by their leaderships and basically it will be spent on issues which are related to them,” he added.
He hoped the government will continue keep close contacts with the students so that the funds could be sustained monthly.
(ST)