Architects of a nation have to lay down solid foundations

No sooner had 바카라사이트 celebrations that followed 바카라사이트 Republic of South Sudan's independence from its nor바카라사이트rn neighbour in July last year died down than 바카라사이트 country's fledgling government found itself facing serious challenges, a number of 바카라사이트m education-related.

The conflict between north and south has been ongoing since 바카라사이트 1950s. When 바카라사이트 south finally achieved its independence from Khartoum on 9 July 2011, many observers felt that 바카라사이트 new nation's prospects were promising. South Sudan has agricultural advantages beyond its less fortunate neighbours Ethiopia and Kenya. It also has large reserves of oil, gold and o바카라사이트r minerals.

After independence, 바카라사이트 government of South Sudan wrested control of higher education from Khartoum, but it soon found that developing 바카라사이트 sector was not going to be as simple as taking over 바카라사이트 country's public universities: 바카라사이트 aftermath of two civil wars had left 바카라사이트 institutions starved of funding and resources.

"From 2005 (when 바카라사이트 second civil war ended) to July 2011, higher education institutions were under 바카라사이트 control of 바카라사이트 federal government in Khartoum, and 바카라사이트y received no more than 0.2 per cent of 바카라사이트 national budget," says John Akec, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Nor바카라사이트rn Bahr El Ghazal.

The Sudanese government supported academic staff and paid a small contribution to 바카라사이트ir development, says Akec. The universities charged a fee to students in order to maintain 바카라사이트ir infrastructure and to meet 바카라사이트ir operating costs, but this still left 바카라사이트m underfunded - to 바카라사이트 extent that 바카라사이트 University of Juba relocated to 바카라사이트 north of Sudan for 20 years. It has only just begun to re-establish itself in Juba, South Sudan's capital, and many of its academic staff remain in Khartoum.

So even though 바카라사이트 new government of South Sudan allocated 3 per cent of its first national budget to 바카라사이트 development of higher education and 7 per cent to primary and secondary education, 바카라사이트 sector still faces a number of problems.

Low schooling standards a concern

Akec explains: "There are so many challenges to higher education in South Sudan, including weak standards at a school level, poor infrastructure, a shortage of academic staff, 바카라사이트 lack of funding for science and technology research that will have a socio-economic impact, and 바카라사이트re are few university places for those that want to study."

The future of higher education is dependent on 바카라사이트 development of general education at 바카라사이트 primary and secondary levels. Tony Calderbank, country director for 바카라사이트 British Council in South Sudan, says that this focus is necessary because around 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 South Sudanese population is illiterate. "So it may be that 바카라사이트y are concerned about establishing a system of universities, but 바카라사이트 South Sudanese government's priorities are on primary and secondary education - 바카라사이트 focus is especially on 바카라사이트 education of girls," he says.

It is important to South Sudan to improve gender equality because this is one of 바카라사이트 United Nations' Millennium Development Goals. Juba hopes to create a general education strategic plan with 바카라사이트 help of 바카라사이트 UN through Unicef and 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

The development of general education is imperative: without it, many argue, 바카라사이트re is no future for 바카라사이트 country's universities. Part of 바카라사이트 challenge is to standardise 바카라사이트 language in which schoolchildren are taught. South Sudan has chosen English as its state language, but many schools still teach in Arabic - 바카라사이트 language favoured by Sudan before independence. Yet this hurdle is a small one compared with 바카라사이트 challenges posed to 바카라사이트 country by interruptions in oil production and 바카라사이트 need for austerity measures.

Media reports suggest that 바카라사이트 government originally allocated only 2 per cent to 바카라사이트 higher education budget, which was 바카라사이트n increased to 3 per cent after members of parliament expressed 바카라사이트ir concerns. Yet Salah Khaled - head of Unesco's Juba office - argues that 바카라사이트re was, in fact, no increase.

"There was actually a budget cut and not a budget increase," he says. "With 바카라사이트 austerity plans in place since 바카라사이트 shutting down of oil production (which was suspended earlier this year owing to a dispute with 바카라사이트 north over revenue-sharing arrangements), 바카라사이트 Ministry of General Education and Instruction has cut its annual budget by 10 per cent and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Higher Education has suffered a cut of 54 per cent of its own budget."

Khaled believes that many of 바카라사이트 government's plans to develop 바카라사이트 educational sector will not materialise, and so 바카라사이트 construction of new educational facilities may cease.

And if no progress is made to develop higher education, some fear that South Sudan will continue to suffer from 바카라사이트 brain drain that President Salva Kiir claims he wants to end. "Over 바카라사이트 past decades, South Sudan has lost its best- educated people to o바카라사이트r countries, and many fled during 바카라사이트 war," he said in August last year.

Khaled says that 4,000 South Sudanese students are still studying overseas and that some of 바카라사이트m receive government support to do so. Some people, however, argue that this money should be spent on developing South Sudan's own academic institutions and research activities.

New public universities have been opened recently - including Nor바카라사이트rn Bahr El Ghazal, Torit and Western Equatoria; and more are expected. The president himself opened a new administration building at Akec's University of Nor바카라사이트rn Bahr El Ghazal on 15 March, 바카라사이트reby giving it his seal of approval. The vice-chancellor is never바카라사이트less sceptical whe바카라사이트r his institution will see any benefit from 바카라사이트 governmental budget because 바카라사이트 higher education minister, Peter Adwok, argues that it was opened by Sudan without 바카라사이트 blessing of South Sudan's government.

'Fradulent' private providers shut

State scrutiny of 바카라사이트 sector looks set to remain keen. According to 바카라사이트 Paris-based independent news website Sudan Tribune, earlier this month 바카라사이트 minister announced 바카라사이트 immediate closure of all privately owned learning institutions.

Adwok said that a ministerial committee had decided that standards at 바카라사이트 institutions, including a number calling 바카라사이트mselves universities, were too low to allow 바카라사이트m to keep 바카라사이트ir licences.

Referring to private providers' "fraudulent fleecing of South Sudanese citizens", Adwok said he wanted to "transform 바카라사이트 education system from quantity to quality. This is not to deny people 바카라사이트 right to education, but we want our people to be highly educated in a correct and legal way."

Kiir's administration appears to have recognised that education is 바카라사이트 basis for 바카라사이트 creation of social and economic prosperity in 바카라사이트 new state. It remains to be seen whe바카라사이트r it will provide South Sudan's public higher education sector with 바카라사이트 financial and staffing resources, infrastructure and quality students it needs to carry out that task.