Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba, Prof. John Akec (left) and the Director General of the South Sudan Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Ting Mayai. Photo: Courtesy

The Director General of the National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Ting Mayai, has criticized the University of Juba for producing “degrees without skills,” while, in a separate development, Vice Chancellor Prof. John Akec said that “speeches and lofty statements” alone cannot build a nation.

Addressing the gathering on Saturday in Juba, Dr. Ting first praised Vice Chancellor Professor John Akec for what he described as his firm and decisive leadership style.

“I admire Prof. John Akec because he is a leader who makes decisions and stands by them without regret,” Ting said.

However, the former University of Juba professor quickly shifted to criticism, arguing that the country’s oldest public university has failed to equip graduates with the practical skills needed in the labour market.

He said that under Professor Akec’s leadership, the institution has continued to produce qualifications that fall short of developing competent professionals.

“What we have are degrees without skills,” Ting remarked, adding that the university lacks the capacity to produce graduates with the quality and practical competence required to drive national development.

Mayai’s remarks followed an announcement by the Ministry of General Education and Instruction that South Sudanese students who go abroad for scholarship studies perform poorly.

The comments sparked a swift response from Professor John Akec, who defended the broader challenges of nation-building and appeared to reject the criticism.

In a statement posted on Facebook yesterday, Prof. Akec said meaningful national progress cannot be achieved through public rhetoric alone.

“Speeches and lofty statements in the media will not build a country. Serious developmental projects, rule of law, security of property, and enforcement of contracts will. Ignore these at our own peril,” he said.

Although Prof. Akec did not directly mention Dr. Ting by name, his remarks came a day after the Bureau of Statistics Chief questioned the quality of education at the University of Juba.

The exchange has pinched public attention, exposing a growing debate over the quality of higher education in South Sudan and whether universities are producing graduates equipped with the practical skills needed to support the country’s development agenda.

The brawl also underlines broader concerns about the relationship between higher education, governance and human capital development, as policymakers continue to debate reforms aimed at improving the country’s education sector.