South Sudan’s Vice President for the Economic Cluster Dr. James Wani Igga on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for the University of Yei, a project the government says will expand access to higher education in the Equatoria region.
Igga, who also the deputy chairman of the ruling SPLM, said the national government had allocated resources for development of the university, which he said was approved by President Salva Kiir.
“Our president has established the University of Yei for the first time for the people of Yei,” Igga said at the ceremony, congratulating the president, Central Equatoria state and local authorities.
Yei River County Director of Education Philip Taban Issa welcomed the project but said authorities needed to address infrastructure and staffing needs, including the recruitment of qualified lecturers.
Many secondary school graduates in the area have turned to motorcycle taxi riding because they cannot afford to pursue university education elsewhere, he said.
“We have many children who are doing boda-boda (motorcycle taxi riding),” Issa said. “When it is within (Yei), many of them will join.”
Social activist Yeka Joel urged the national and state governments to ensure the project is implemented in practice and that local residents are involved in its development.
He said existing buildings at the site should be rehabilitated to meet the standards required of a higher education institution and that the project should be driven by the local community rather than political interests.
Yei River County youth association chairman Gaga Frank said the university would give young people greater access to degrees and postgraduate studies without the financial burden of studying outside the area.
“Many young people are redundant,” Frank said. “This is a very good opportunity for us.”
Central Equatoria Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony said the proposal for a university in Yei had been presented to the national government and approved by Kiir.
He thanked local authorities for allocating land for the project and urged residents to cooperate with officials to ensure its development.
Yei River County Commissioner Samuel Henry Malimbo said the land title for the proposed university was ready. He also raised concerns about access to scholarships, saying opportunities announced at the national level often did not reach students in Yei.
“We only hear about the scholarships in Juba without any coming to Yei,” Malimbo said.
Religious leaders also welcomed the project, while Emeritus Yei Anglican Bishop Hillary Luate Adeba called for sustained investment in education and peace.
Adeba urged authorities to ensure that any funds allocated to the university were used for their intended purpose.
National Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Changkout Bichock said the university would serve students from across South Sudan because it is a public institution.
He said his ministry had requested funding to begin initial work at the site, adding that existing buildings could help the university get started.
Bichock also called for security and peaceful coexistence around the university, saying insecurity could discourage students from studying in Yei.
The ceremony was held at a former United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base and was attended by government officials, religious and traditional leaders, students and members of the local community.
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