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South Sudan Ambassador to Uganda, Margaret Daniel, has praised Uganda for providing free access to educational institutions for South Sudanese students.
She emphasised that this support is crucial for developing South Sudan’s human capital, which is essential for national unity and economic self-sufficiency.
Daniel expressed hopes that this educational partnership will significantly contribute to her the country’s future growth and stability.
“Uganda has played a great role in the education of our students and children. They (students) are the future of South Sudan and I believe in the coming years they will take up what our fathers and forefathers established,” she said on Sunday, July 14, while speaking during celebrations to commemorate the country’s 13th Independence Day at Las Vegas Hotel in Kampala.
Daniel thanked the internal affairs ministry for amicably resolving the issue of student passes for South Sudanese, noting that it has made access to Ugandan education institutions easier as their citizens can now enrol in Ugandans as citizens of East Africa rather than as international students.
The matter of the student passes had been raised by students from South Sudan when the community was celebrating their 12th independence anniversary last year, saying they were being made to pay extra fees to study in the institutions yet they are members of the East African Community.
(L-R) Margaret Apuol Daniel, Ambassador of the Republic of South Sudan to Uganda, Amb. Charles Ssentongo, Chief of protocol Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jemma Nunu Kumba, Speaker of Parliament of South Sudan toasting to the Uganda-South Sudan relations. This was during the 13th South Sudan’s independence anniversary celebrations held at Las Vegas Hotel in Bunga Kampala on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Photo by Colleb Mugume)
However, following an engagement between the South Sudan Embassy and Ugandan officials, the matter was resolved, meaning South Sudan students are now exempted from paying the $100 (about sh380,000) which was the case before. In addition, the students pay the same tuition fees as Ugandan students while in Uganda.
“We applaud the ministry of the interior (Internal Affairs) in this country because many issues have been resolved. Even if there are a few issues that may come up here and there I am positive that we will not fail to handle them amicably. I assure you South Sudanese studying here that we are always here for you,” she said.
There are over 10,000 South Sudanese students according to the embassy.
On April 25, 2023, the East African Community adopted seven strategic education plans as part of efforts to facilitate the quick integration of the education sector in East Africa.
As part of the arrangement, EAC is also working to harmonise the EAC systems and training curricula as well as implementing teacher and student mobility programmes to benefit the free movement of persons across the partner states as envisaged under the EAC common market.
EAC countries include Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo, Uganda and Somalia.
South Sudan became a full member of the community on September 5, 2016.
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