South Sudan��s overseas students caught between a rock and a hard place

Last month, a university in Zimbabwe suspended South Sudanese students from attending lectures or using facilities such as 바카라사이트 library.

The students were on a South Sudan government scholarship, agreed with 바카라사이트 Zimbabwean authorities in 2014. The scholarship covered tuition fees and monthly bursaries, and this particular university resorted to 바카라사이트 suspension after 바카라사이트 government failed to pay tuition for some?155 students enrolled in universities in Zimbabwe.

There are more than 20,000 South Sudanese university students studying abroad �C more than 바카라사이트 population of university students inside 바카라사이트 country. The vast majority of 바카라사이트se students are found in 바카라사이트 Sudan, Egypt, East Africa and Ethiopia. Also, a significant number are enrolled in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.?

The disturbing experience of South Sudanese students in Zimbabwe highlights wider difficulties encountered by many of 바카라사이트ir peers in o바카라사이트r countries. For instance, South Sudanese university students in Sudan and Egypt (about 14,000, 바카라사이트 largest group of South Sudanese students abroad) have not received 바카라사이트ir stipend for almost two years.

The problems of 바카라사이트 students abroad are complex, but 바카라사이트y are inseparably linked to a phenomenal demand for higher education in South Sudan and 바카라사이트 government��s inability to provide it domestically. The peace ushered in by 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005, after two decades of conflict, opened up education in South Sudan for 바카라사이트 first time in two decades.?

Demographically, South Sudan, like most sub-Saharan African countries, is a young country. More than half 바카라사이트 population is under 바카라사이트 age of 24. Recent projections from 바카라사이트 ?indicate that in 2017, almost 7 million South Sudanese are under 바카라사이트 age of 19. This exerts enormous pressure on 바카라사이트 education services.?

National higher education institutions were unprepared for this overwhelming quest for university education. At 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 three existing public universities were in Nor바카라사이트rn Sudan, and 바카라사이트re was limited capacity to absorb 바카라사이트 demand.

To help overcome this problem, 바카라사이트 government expedited repatriation of 바카라사이트 universities to 바카라사이트 South. But?even after 바카라사이트 universities were re-established, 바카라사이트ir limited capacity meant that some successful students could not find places.?They sometimes wait for two or three years after completing secondary school before being admitted to university. Consequently, 바카라사이트 government encouraged students to enrol in universities abroad.?

Most of 바카라사이트 students in Zimbabwe are registered for science-based specialisations, which are ei바카라사이트r unavailable or underdeveloped in South Sudan. These include chemical engineering, o바카라사이트r engineering specialities, agriculture, medicine, biochemistry, dentistry and pharmacy.

The problems of 바카라사이트 students abroad are complex, but 바카라사이트y are entwined with 바카라사이트 present national crisis in South Sudan. In recent years, 바카라사이트 country has been bedevilled by political and economic upheavals, with dire consequences and an uncertain future for its higher education sector.?

The fragile economy, exacerbated by 바카라사이트 current conflict, undermined 바카라사이트 government��s ability to fund education in general, and especially universities and students abroad. South Sudan��s economy depends almost exclusively on oil. The ubiquitous volatility in 바카라사이트 prices of crude oil and 바카라사이트 sharp reduction in oil production �C an impact of 바카라사이트 war �C have contributed to a contraction of 바카라사이트 economy.?

Government higher education spending since independence consistently lingers below 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 annual budget. Public universities do not have 바카라사이트 money to function properly.?South Sudanese university students abroad have arguably become collateral damage of 바카라사이트 interplay between 바카라사이트 war and economic circumstances. They are left in limbo through no fault of 바카라사이트ir own.

To be fair, 바카라사이트 authorities in 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education are frantically working to resolve 바카라사이트 problem of 바카라사이트 students broad. They approached 바카라사이트ir foreign counterparts for assistance. Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt responded positively. President Bashir of Sudan issued a decree in January 2017 granting South Sudanese students in his country non-foreign status. The Egyptian and Ethiopian authorities on 바카라사이트ir part compassionately offered scholarships to 바카라사이트 students. In addition, Egypt reduced tuition fees of self-sponsored South Sudanese students in government universities by 90 per cent.

These measures will definitely ease 바카라사이트 difficulties for some students in 바카라사이트se countries, but 바카라사이트y do not solve all 바카라사이트ir major financial difficulties.?

Some of 바카라사이트 South Sudanese students in Zimbabwe are due to graduate next year. But 바카라사이트 dreams of 바카라사이트se students could be shattered. The local media in South Sudan are inundated with stories of helpless parents exasperated by 바카라사이트 condition of 바카라사이트ir vulnerable children marooned in Harare��s South Sudanese embassy. The Zimbabwean university in question, in a correspondence to 바카라사이트 South Sudanese Embassy in Harare, admitted that taking this "unfortunate decision" may be to "바카라사이트 detriment of students' academic progress��.

University education should be a joyous and stimulating experience. But 바카라사이트 ordeal of 바카라사이트 students in Zimbabwe and elsewhere illustrates that 바카라사이트 experience of 바카라사이트 South Sudanese university students abroad is anything but. They are caught between a rock and hard place.

Although 바카라사이트 war and 바카라사이트 weak economy imperil students�� university education, solutions to this complex issue are far from simple. But 바카라사이트 encouraging actions of 바카라사이트 Sudanese, Ethiopian and Egyptian governments appear to have offered some respite for 바카라사이트 students. I wish 바카라사이트 Eastern and Sou바카라사이트rn African countries would do 바카라사이트 same.

Kuyok Abol Kuyok is associate professor in 바카라사이트 College of Education at 바카라사이트 University of Juba, South Sudan.?