By Bida Elly David
The Vice President for service cluster Hussein Abdelbagi has lashed Vice Chancellors in the public Universities for expelling students in regards to completion of tuition fees.
Abdelbagi made his warning in a meeting with the administration of University of Juba and other government officials last week.
The VP for Service Cluster advised administrations of public universities to be lenient with Students who are facing some challenges in paying their tuition fees on time.
He said that, the transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011 provides for the right to education for all citizens.
“In compliance with the provision, all the public universities are expected to be flexible with students who have difficulties with paying tuition on time; so, we should not deny them the right to access education,” VP Abdelbagi said.
“Our constitution under the bill of rights, Article 29 subsection 1, clearly states that education is a right for every citizen; and all levels of government shall provide access to education without discrimination of any kind whether being religion, race and ethnicity,” he added.
In addition, Vice President Abdelbagi reiterated that, the article also deliberated promotion of education at all levels, ensuring free and compulsory learning at primary level through free illiteracy eradication programs.
However, Abdelbagi stated that most students turned to enrol in public universities due to numerous financial constraints, that had made them unable to attain studies in private institutions.
He said that public institutions of learning were meant to educate the citizens at a lower cost that would not impede them in one way or the other.
In spite of this, Abdelbagi called on all the Vice Chancellors for all public universities to abstain from sending students away regarding failure to pay tuition fees.
Hussein said that most South Sudanese young people were enthusiastic to learn but due to lack of financial support, they remain traumatised and disturbed.
‘’I need to assure all the Vice Chancellors in public universities, secondary and primary school principals to critically observe and analyse the outcome that would arise from learners after expelling them due to failure of meeting tuition fees. Learners should be given ample time to meet the deadline of their tuition even extra time to mitigate issues regarding trauma,’’ he said.