‘Very shameful and unacceptable’: Yakani weighs in on deportation of students from Egypt

JUBA – South Sudan’s minister of higher education, science and technology Gabriel Changson Lew Chang and the minister of foreign affairs Mayiik Ayii Deng have been told by a prominent activist that the ongoing deportation of students from Egypt is ‘very shameful and unacceptable.’

On Friday, at least three students studying on government scholarships were deported back to Juba after participating in a sit-in at the South Sudan embassy in Cairo over disagreements with their respective learning institutions over contents of the scholarship agreements.

The students enrolled at various Egyptian universities on the promise that the scholarship was fully funded, but have constantly been told by the universities that the government offer cover their studies in part sparking anger among the students who then staged a sit-in for several days at the Cairo embassy.

The Egyptian police allegedly on orders of the ambassador then stormed the embassy, wounding 9 and arresting 10 others. Three of the ten students have since been deported and the remaining seven are awaiting deportation some of whom are expected to be deported today.

In a statement to Sudans Post this morning, the Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani said he is disturbed by the deportation of students and told ministers of higher education and foreign affairs to give an explanation on what he said is shameful and unacceptable.

“CEPO is strongly disturbed with this worse development now our students studying in Egypt are facing deportation in the face of their studies. This act deserves proper explanation from the Hon. Minister of Higher Education and Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs immediately,” he said.

“As far as education is concerned, it is very shameful and unacceptable to dismiss and deport studying students in the face of their classes. There are other means of punishing them if they committed gross mistakes. Or if the students failed in their examination performance during their examinations,” he said.

Yakani stressed that it is a “worrying development to see students being deported in the face of their studies and our leaders are silent to explain to the nation why this happened. Secondly, the issue of our students pursuing their higher education in Egypt is becoming a case of regular nation disturbance.”

Yakani further called on the parliament to investigate the deportation of students from Egypt and said the CEPO will petition the parliamentary educational committee on the matter.

“CEPO is urging the national parliament committee on higher education to investigate this case. CEPO will be petitioning the parliament higher education committee to take action on this matter immediately,” Yakani added.