President Kiir shakes hands with Higher Education Minister Gabriel Changson Chang in Juba. April 6, 2023. | Photo: Office of the President.

President Salva Kiir on Thursday directed his office to approve funding to purchase vehicles for vice-chancellors and their deputies in public universities across the country.

This is according to the Minister of Higher Education Gabriel Changson Chang.

Changson said Kiir called for the provision of mobility means to university officials in a meeting with him and the Minister of Finance Dier Tong Ngor.

The president has also directed the Ministry of Finance to pay February and March salary arrears and allowances to all Public Universities based on the current salary scale.

Speaking on the national broadcaster SSBC, Changson said President Kiir directed for an immediate execution of his directives.

“The president also approved mobility for the Vice-chancellors and their deputies and directed the Executive Director in his office to carry out the directives,” he said.

The president issued the directives a day after Rumbek University of Science and Technology laid down the tools to demand for their unpaid arrears in line with the new salary scale.

The University of Juba academic and support staff also planned to do the same next week.

There five functioning universities in the country, including the University of Juba, University of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile University, Dr. John Garang Memorial University, and Rumbek University of Science and Technology.