South Sudanese students who graduated from Zimbabwe three years ago but returned to the country without academic transcripts and certificates can collect them from the Ministry of Higher Education this week.

Over 100 students who were government scholarships had their documents withheld by six public universities in Zimbabwe after the government failed to clear fee arrears worth nearly US$2.5 million.

After intense and increase in pressure from students and the media, the government released half of the money and gave the Southern African country, leading to the release of 105 certificates and transcripts of the students.

Maker Makur, the students’ representative who was among the delegation to Zimbabwe told City Review that arrangements for the collection of the documents will be finalized this week.

“The certificates and transcripts will be ready for collection as soon as the Minister [of Higher Education] arrives to the country from Nairobi. He’s coming on date 9 and the following week he will announce the exact day for the students to come,” he said.

Students who thronged Juba International Airport to welcome the delegation from Zimbabwe were overwhelmed with emotion. Optimism and joy, all in one.

“We are very excited now because since we came back from Zimbabwe we have been unable to get employment and it was uneasy for all us,” Mosses Kat, a graduate in Chemical Engineering from Harare Institute of Technology said.

“At least we are now very safe in a sense that we are able to go for further studies, something that was empirically impossible without supportive academic documents,” added Kat.

Abraham Atem Atem Kur from National University of Science and Technology feigned a sense relieve.

“Having your certificate is crucial because it gives you the ability to advance your career in every possible way. You can easily get a job or go for further studies,” said Atem.

Another student who specialized in Political Science and Public Management called the moment a milestone after going for three years without certificates and transcripts.

 “I tried to apply for a job but they were asking for my documents. In this country if do not have a certificate you cannot get a good-paying job. Other colleagues of mine join the army because they lost hope,” Majak said.

Nepotism in job market

It is not just lack of academic papers hindering job recruitment process. Majak says nepotism has also enormously played a part in an environment where employment is secured based on who you know as opposed to what you know and have.  

“I tried to apply for more than twenty-seven times but without success. The recruitment system in this country is bias because those recruited have no academic documents and qualifications. We need the media to raise the issue of employment in this country,” said Majak.

Majak advised that students who studied outside the country should be given opportunity to exercise the skills they learned to facilitate self and national development.

“Education is not all about learning and sitting. We need to do something for our nation because there is competition in African countries in terms of development,” he said.

Director General for Administration and Finance, Kezekia Deng Awol echoed the sentiment of Makur saaying that the students are going to receive their certificate as soon as the Minister returns back from Kenya.

He said the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the President made an effort to make sure that the arrears were cleared so that students own their certificates. Awol said the government also reached an agreement to clear the outstanding US$1.6 million.

“Our ministry laid a request and put some small amount of money. We also appreciate the Ministry of Finance and President Salva Kiir for the cooperation because we managed to reach an agreement to clear the debt of US$1.6 million,” he said.

“It is the government of South Sudan through the ministry to plan on a new memorandum of understanding with the government of Zimbabwe for the next scholarship slot,” he added.