By Taban Henry
The Ministry of Higher Education in the Republic of South Sudan is expected to enroll over 32 thousand students into the five public and the other universities.
This was revealed to the media on Monday during the launching of the admission process for the intake of 2022- 2023 academic year.
Speaking during the launching, the Minister of Higher Education Gabriel Changson Chang said about thirty thousand students are expected to be admitted to both the public and private Universities.
He added that two-third of those students will be accommodated at the University of Juba because it can absorb a huge number of students.
“Today we are launching the first phase of admission to public, private universities and technical colleges. We want those students who scored high marks to study at home than going for scholarship. So that once the scholarships come would have got the best students admitted in our public university” Changson said.
The Minister of Higher Education mentioned that in the last admission, there were some colleges with very poor intake especially the faculties of education in all the universities adding that very few applied and ladies did not apply while mentioning that if you don’t apply whom do you think will educate you and your children.
“We encourage you to be interested in those faculties and there will be incentives that will be given to those students that will apply to the faculties of education and this incentive will attract you to study,” he added.
Chang stated that they are covering all the ten states in terms of their efforts to accept students. He added that the Ministry of Higher Education has sent out teams to all the ten states to make sure that all the students from the ten states are given equal opportunities to apply for the faculties of their choices; it will not be only Juba University which will be the only place for admission.
“We have other centres at the states, as it is good for those who cannot access Juba or Wau to have access for the admission forms from their states so that all the students will be enrolled into all the public universities,” he stated.
The minister explained why the country is always behind of which we are supposed to make every intake just one month after the examination and we take almost over a year this sets back to resources; the next examination is going to take place this year may be in this month; time and again this will make the calendar for the year very difficult for the ministry of higher education while mentioning that they take students today and then in July take another as well as in October that is why we have to go back to the regular intake so that universities will have an opportunity for taking private students.
“This is the first general admission, there will be another one and there will be also a direct intake by the university should they have any space remaining to accept students, they are also given that opportunity provided that they also follow the general regulation that are in the guide book,” the minister of Higher Education said.
Meanwhile Lillian Adong Erminio, a fresh scholar who completed her South Sudan Certificate of Secondary School from Jubek Secondary School in 2021 expects study development studies in any public Universities in South Sudan.
She expressed happiness over having her admission form citing it as something she has been waiting for quite a long time.
“I have hope that I will be admitted in the university and I will be very excited once I am accepted and admitted, I really wanted to be in the University in order to accomplish what I have been hoping for to help the community and the country at large, I am calling on all those who wish to join the university because of money or that they are not admitted to rather keep trying, God will bless you and you will be admitted,” she said.
For his part Abraham Chahoch Mayom who wishes to join the college of Law said that he is very joyful for getting the form saying sometimes someone spends three days in order to get the admission form.
He added that he came at 6 in the morning but now going to 12 O’clock while appreciating the office for giving them the chance at the very time.
“I look forward to joining the college of law because I wanted the communities and the country at large to know more about the constitution. In my last examination I scored 84.7%. I have the hope to join the university because most people wanted to study overseas that scholarship that I don’t have, there is a saying that even though your home is bushy stay there,” he said.
For her part Emmanuel Kiden Emmanuel who scored 80% in her last exams said she came and picked her admission form citing that since her secondary school she was interested to join the University adding that most of her parents were encouraging her to join the university.
“I hope everything will be fine, according to my expectation since I am young. I will be a great person in my life once I complete from here, I wanted to join the Human Resource management and I have that confidence that I am going to be accepted here in this university,” Kiden said.