An Indian University where more than 70 South Sudanese students are studying on a government scholarship says it is sending them home over a delay to pay their tuition fees.

The 73 students are on scholarship by the government of the former Central Equatoria State.

The administrator of Guru Nanak University says the fees have not been paid since the students joined two years ago.
Napara Jan says 15 of the students have already returned to South Sudan.

“I have been visiting the South Sudan for the last two years. I had to visit the country seven times on my own cost. The government gave a letter of commitment that by 30th of September that they will pay the money,” Mr Napara Jan said.

“Today is September 30th. The government of the three states put together jointly wrote a commitment stating that they will pay around 322,000 dollars immediately which has not been coming and I am not able to accommodate them at all. The management has no other option but to send them back,” he said.

Last week, the students were notified by the university administration that they could be dismissed unless the fees were paid.

But until now, the students say they have not received any response from their sponsors.

A student leader who did not want to be named explained their situation.

“There is nothing that we know unless they have spoken to the administration because if they did talk to the administration by this time the administration would tell us we got this new message from the government,” the student said.

“But until now there is nothing new. They have never called us and the administration has never said anything new. We are just waiting for today but today is a public. I guess we will get information by Monday”.
45 of these students are from Yei River State, where ministers have decided to use the share of assets of the former Central Equatoria, to pay the fees.

Authorities in Jubek and Terekeka are yet to comment.