By Mary Poni
The University of Juba under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor John Akec is in a trajectory to make a huge infrastructural development by campaigning for fundraising of about $30,000 from the public to develop more infrastructures at the university.
The Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. John Akec told journalists in Juba that the campaign is to alert the general public about the ongoing campaign to raise three million US dollars for construction of a new lecture complex hall that will contain a library with 1,000 Seats and a wing of mix uses including computer labs, and others.
According to Prof. Akec, the complex will be based on the custom market campus compound and expectedly 4,000 students will be attending their lectures from the upcoming new complex building that is yet to be constructed if the fundraising meets the necessities.
He said when he took over the university in 2014, there were a lot of problems including the pressure of lecture halls been limited and the number of the students was very low at around 10,000 students under 300 academic staff.
“Today the number in the academic year increased to over 30,000 students and the administration also had been involved in developing the infrastructure using the fees that we have,” he said.
The university’s reason for making a call for the fundraising is based on the fact that the fee students are paying is very low as little as $100 for the last two years and now the administration shall increase the fees for each student to pay at least from 200 to 300 dollars.
“Every student of the 30,000-population is required to pay $100 because the demand for the spaces of lecture halls had skipped the number of the students currently,” he stressed.
John Akec said that though it will cost a little bit more than $3 million, at least the university should get started such that it will be ready in eight months.
“We are raising funds to reduce the cost on the students and if we are ready to raise all the $3 million, then the $100 fund will be reversed from the students or if the public will raise half of the money, then the students will raise half too to make the work complete,” he explained.
VC Akec said the administration separated the development funds from the tuition fees because they want people to be proud of what they can do, though it could have been added but once this campaign is successful and they are able to build confidence to do the work, it will be a new pride to the university, students’ population and the country at large.
The fundraising will be officially launched on Thursday 17th November to be presided over by President Salva Kiir or his representative and the program continues till Friday.
The general public has been invited for the great fundraising on the request of the VC of the University to contribute the money.
“We are asking the nation from different institutions, from business companies and NGOs to contribute hence, there would be a sponsorship and it will defend on how much or from diamond to gold and etc would be received,” Akec said.
The VC said that the call for the fundraising is to push the university for development by upgrading the infrastructure which will be followed by full digitalization of the infrastructure including access to control, work visibility, applications online and E-Learning.