Minister orders closure of 21 private universities

Twenty-one private universities in Sudan have been ordered to close. Education Minister Dr Peter Adwok told the press in Juba last week that the decision had been made after the ministry commissioned a study into all private universities in the country, writes Waakhe Simon Wudu for Oye! Times.

“Institutions which do not meet or fulfil the conditions for providing university education are therefore ordered to close with immediate effect and their licenses withdrawn,” said Adwok.
“The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology is writing to the Ministry of Justice of South Sudan to institute legal measures against the institutions for fraudulent fleecing of South Sudanese citizens.”

There are at least 34 private universities and colleges in South Sudan in addition to some five public universities. Most of the private universities have for years been providing degrees, diplomas and certificates in different courses including medicine and engineering. According to the study, foreign investors use nationals in positions of power and authority as ‘godfathers’ to protect their institutional investments.
Full report on the Oye! Times site