University of Juba. Photo: File
Juba, December 25, 2020 (SSNA) — The University of Juba is set to face budget cuts for fiscal year2021-2022, a Professor at the department of political science who agreed to speak to the South Sudan News Agency (SSNA) on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal says on Saturday.
The Professor explained in a message obtained by the SSNA that South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has privately instructed the University’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. John Apuruot Akec, that he must prepare to layoff some lecturers beginning early next year.
“The University has been politicized. The Vice Chancellor and some government officials in the highest office in the land want students to pay their tuition even poor ones. I am old enough to know that almost every student here at this University incapable of paying tuition fees,” the Professor explains.
“Are we going to contribute to the suffering of poor families who cannot even put food on the table for their kids?” the Lecturer asks.
In the letter, the professor questions the motive behind the looming budget cuts and wonders whether the government is acting in good faith.
“I don’t know if this decision that has been hidden from the public is right. But I know it is unfaithful and wrong,” the Professor asserted.
In October this year, a message between Dr. Akech and a senior advisor in the office of President Kiir was leaked out. The contents of the message revealed that the government was planning to reduce the University of Juba budget for 2021 to 2022 and downsize the number of lectures in selected departments. It is not clear which departments will be cut back. The office of the President declines to confirm or deny the report.