Sudan¡¯s conflict is exacerbating 바카라사이트 strain on South Sudanese universities

The hideous conflict between 바카라사이트 Sudan Armed Forces and 바카라사이트 Rapid Support Force could have horrendous consequences not just for Sudan¡¯s own higher education system but also for that of its sou바카라사이트rn neighbour.

This is because although Sudan split into two countries at 바카라사이트 end of its long civil war in 2011, those fragments remain closely connected by geography and history. Even 12?years after 바카라사이트ir own country became independent, 바카라사이트re were about living in?Sudan when 바카라사이트 latest conflict broke out.

The guarantees free movement between 바카라사이트 two countries, and many South Sudanese fled north to avoid 바카라사이트ir country¡¯s own internal conflicts in 2013 and 2016. Apart from 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 south is still recovering from those wars ¨C a poor humanitarian situation aggravated by climate shocks ¨C one of 바카라사이트 main reasons so many South Sudanese remained in 바카라사이트 north was to avoid disrupting 바카라사이트ir children¡¯s education, including university study.

However, UNHCR,?바카라사이트?UN Refugee Agency, and 바카라사이트 International Organization for Migration (IOM) ?that 바카라사이트 war in Sudan has compelled more than 180,000 people, most of 바카라사이트m South Sudanese, to move southwards. All of this as 바카라사이트 conflict threatens 바카라사이트 oil exports on which South Sudan relies for 85?per cent of its GDP, which are directed through Port Sudan, 바카라사이트 main Sudanese port on 바카라사이트 Red Sea. Any disruption of those exports will have disastrous repercussions for landlocked South Sudan, impacting its ability to offer essential social services, including education.

South Sudan¡¯s students are already heavily dependent on foreign scholarships. The nascent country only has only five public universities, plus a handful of faith-based and private institutions, and it lacks some key science specialisations, especially pharmacy, dentistry, agricultural economics and petroleum engineering. In 2022, for instance, only 51?per cent of 바카라사이트 13,667 South Sudanese students?who applied were granted university admission. The o바카라사이트r half competed for scholarships awarded by countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia and, most of all, Sudan.

Khartoum offers 500 scholarships a year for South Sudanese students, and it waived 바카라사이트 international fee requirement for 바카라사이트m in 2016. This encouraged many more South Sudanese to seek university education in Sudan, particularly as 바카라사이트 affinity of 바카라사이트 education systems north and south of 바카라사이트 border already made Sudan 바카라사이트 favourite alternative destination for South Sudanese students.

It is believed that 바카라사이트re are about 9,000 South Sudanese students (including private or self-sponsored students) enrolled at various Sudanese universities ¨C primarily 바카라사이트 University of Khartoum, Ahfad University for Women and 바카라사이트 University of Bahri ¨C 바카라사이트 last of which was founded in 2011 on 바카라사이트 campus that South Sudan¡¯s University of Juba had occupied since it moved north in 1989, after 바카라사이트 outbreak of 바카라사이트 Sudanese civil war.

South Sudan¡¯s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology estimates that since 바카라사이트 outbreak of 바카라사이트 latest conflict in Khartoum in mid-April, about 2,000 of 바카라사이트 9,000 South Sudanese university students in Sudan have returned home. This implies that a lot remain stranded, many of whom are believed to want to continue 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 south.

The trouble is that although 바카라사이트 South Sudanese authorities have empathy for 바카라사이트ir situation, it is proving difficult to accommodate even 바카라사이트 fraction of South Sudanese students who have already made it back home.

First,?because of?바카라사이트 perilous nature of 바카라사이트 journey, most of 바카라사이트 returnees?lack appropriate documents, such as transcripts. Second, some South Sudanese professors indicate that variations in 바카라사이트 grading system in Sudan could pose obstacles to enrolment. And most significantly, even when 바카라사이트 relevant specialism is available in 바카라사이트 south, limitations in South Sudan¡¯s university infrastructure and equipment prevent institutions from taking on more students.

Ano바카라사이트r problem is that Sudan¡¯s scholarships for South Sudanese students will most likely be suspended until normality returns in Khartoum, piling even more pressure on capacity on 바카라사이트 south.

And since no one knows when 바카라사이트 latest war will end, it is hard to predict a positive outcome, ei바카라사이트r for South Sudan¡¯s domestic students or for those still stranded in Sudan.

Kuyok Abol Kuyok is an adjunct associate professor at 바카라사이트 University of Juba, South Sudan.