By Bida Elly David
University of Juba has announced that the institution will block students who have not paid their fees or those with balances from accessing the campus.
Vice-Chancellor of the institution, John Akech issued a notice that effective from September 12th to September 202 all students should clear their tuition fees.
Akech vowed not to compromise with any student over failures to clear university fees and urged students to comply with the clearance notice before the deadline.
“All students are therefore advised to complete the payment of their fees for this academic year to ensure that they are issued with valid identity cards by the above date,” he said in the notice.
However, the notice has sparked debate among students, who often face difficulties in meeting financial needs for academic pursuits.
One student, who spoke to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on condition of anonymity said that the notice left many poor students in shock, particularly those with a 50% balance of tuition.
He also noted that the deadline for accessing finances is too near for students without jobs.
“Akec’s notice came at a time where getting money or support from well-wishers is hard for some poor students. We are hustling in markets across the city sometimes leaving meals to pay fees,’’ he said.
The undergraduate student criticized Akec’s decision to turn the University of Juba into a private institution focusing on money rather than developing future leaders.
“If government University like the University of Juba can focus on Money rather than the future of the next generation, then learning has been turned into a business,” he said.
Another netizen criticized Prof. Akec for turning him into the Vice-Chancellor for administration and finances.
Akec’s previous proposal to increase tuition fees by $100 per student sparked public criticism and became a topic of discussion in Juba.
The indefinite rise on the tuition fees was accompanied by a fund-rising exercise that resulted to several pledges and contributions from government officials among others.
Despite the baskets of money contributed, Dr. Akec resisted to withdrew from the encyclical of the tuition rise.