The administration of Rumbek Health Science Institute on Tuesday suspended the leaders of the Student’s Union following a strike by students demanding the removal of SSP 5,000 supplementary examinations fees for each failed paper.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, the principal of the health institute, Joseph Deng Makur, said:” The school administration has decided to suspend the union to stop the mobilization of the students and to allow us to hold an emergency meeting to resolve all those challenges that are facing Rumbek health science institute.”
Joseph pointed out that the renunciation of the supplementary examination fees was instigated by students who had failed examinations. “The aim of this strike is related to academic affairs. We give our exams every six months of teaching, so our students sit twice a year,” he said.
Makur added that the fees for handling expenses were decided in a meeting of the institute’s management and officials from the state health ministry chaired by Michael Lueth Ater, the chairperson of the institute’s board.
“As we go forward, things are well arranged, and it was announced on the board, and they know very well that students have to pay a fine of 5,000 SSP per supplementary course,” he said.
For his part, Guild President John Madol Chol said that a week ago, the timetable for supplementary exams came out with new fees which he said students could not afford.
“If you have failed five subjects, you should be able to pay 25,000 SSP. The students said this money is too much and we cannot afford it,” he said. “The institute’s administration said that you will not be allowed to sit (exams) if you do not pay this amount of money. The students realized this is a business centre where students are not given their rights.”
“A student should be allowed to sit exams, and the institute can withhold the results, and that is why you have seen a big row happening here,” he added.
When contacted, the acting Information minister in Lakes State, William Koji Kirjok, confirmed the ongoing students strike at the health institute.
“The students of Rumbek Health Science Institute indeed went on strike during the colourful graduation of their colleagues,” he said. “But the situation is normal and calm now. The strike was within the school institute premises.”