President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Friday directed the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and the National Council for Higher Education to begin the statutory process of establishing and restructuring three public universities in Central Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states.
The directive, issued by President Kiir in his capacity as Chancellor of all public universities, orders the immediate statutory transition, approval, and accreditation of the institutions in accordance with the Higher Education Act, 2012.
Under the directive, the University of Northern Bahr el Ghazal will be redesignated and renamed the University of Aweil, with all its assets, liabilities, land, and personnel transferred to the new institution upon formal statutory approval and accreditation.
The president also ordered the establishment of the University of Kuajok in Warrap State. According to the directive, all assets, facilities, personnel, registries, and land currently used by Kuajok Community College will be transferred to the new university once the statutory process is completed.
In Central Equatoria State, the government is to establish the University of Yei, with administrative rights, properties, and facilities designated by the state and local authorities to be vested in the institution following formal approval.
The directive instructs the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology to appoint interim administrative leadership for the three universities and oversee the preparation of their institutional charters, academic programmes and transitional frameworks for submission to the National Council for Higher Education for statutory approval and accreditation.
According to the directive, the three universities will provide quality academic instruction, scientific research and community outreach programmes, with a strong focus on agricultural technology, crop husbandry, mechanisation, forestry, science and technology, and environmental resource management.
President Kiir also directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to allocate take-off grants and recurrent operational funding for the three universities through the national budget.
The governments of Central Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Warrap states have been instructed to provide administrative support, land, and security to facilitate the rapid establishment and development of the institutions.
The directive did not specify when the statutory approval process is expected to be completed or when the three universities will begin admitting students.
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