Studies suspended at Juba University after students stage protest

JUBA – The vice-chancellor of the University of Juba, Professor John Akec has this morning decided to order for suspension of studies after angry students took to Juba university streets to protest economic crisis and new regulations on tuition fees.

Speaking to Sudans Post moments ago, a senior Juba university administration staff said Akec has decided to suspend studies until further notice and that the university administration is going to look into the decisions they made in light of protests.

“The vice-chancellor of the University of Juba Professor John Akec has decided to suspend classes until further notice because of the protest which has been staged by students to demand that even those who didn’t pay are allowed to enter,” the official who requested not to be named told Sudans Post.

“So, the university administration will go and sit and look if it can reconsider rules on entry into the University  and this will not take too much time because we are trying to catch up with the new academic year,” he added.

This morning, students staged protest at the University of Juba demanded that paying tuition fees are not made compulsory for entry into classes saying the ongoing economic crisis in the country has made it difficult for them to pay.

“We are out today because there is an unjustified increase in tuition fees. The university of Juba has increased the tuition fees despite when they were decreased in 2019 and this is one,” one student told Sudans Post earlier today.

“The economic crisis is one of the challenges that is facing us. We cannot get cars to come to the University because all the buses are packed because they cannot get fuel from petrol station and this is why we are here today,” the student added.

Another protester said the government should resign because they have now failed to revive the economy and to bring peace in the world’s youngest country which has been in war since 2013.

“These people have failed. These ‘big people’ have failed the country. They have failed to bring peace. They have failed to bring change and improve the economy, so why we can continue to entrust our money, army and everything to them,” the protester said.

“They must go,” he added.