By Ngor Deng Matem
Youth from Northern Bahr el Ghazal state have denied the presence of a public university which the minister of higher education will rename to polytechnic or institute.
The move came after the minister of higher education said he would change the names of universities in four states of Unity (Bentiu), Eastern Equatoria (Torit), Western Equatoria (Yambio) and Northern Bahr el Ghazal (Aweil) to institute.
Francis Garang Akok, a Youth in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state stated that
“If the ministry of Higher wants to establish the university in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, then the community would be ready to offer the land but not just to say that the name be changed from university to polytechnic. Where is the university they are changing? How many students are studying in that said school?” Francis questioned.
David Deng Mel, another Youth welcome the government decision but urged the ministry of Higher education to approve the budget to speed up the ongoing construction of Northern Bahr el Gazal state university.
”If the government has today recognized the university in Aweil, even though it has not been functioning, then we welcome their decision but they must bring in the budget to complete the construction so as to admit the students this year” Deng said.
Nayanajith Mijak, a graduate of public health added that “the number of students finishing secondary school each year is more than 10,000 and only 2,000 or three thousand enrol in the school because they are based in Wau, Juba and Bor and few in Rumbek, then they have approved STEM courses in the new colleges to be established,” she suggested.
This year, since 2021 Aweil youth have started mobilization of funds to build the university. Several public fundraising events have taken place and already the fence construct has reached to half finishing level.