Some of South Sudanese students on government scholarships at Suez University in Egypt who seized South Sudan Embassy in Cairo - courtesy

South Sudanese students on government scholarships at Suez University in Egypt have copied the embassy in Cairo for 4 days now, demanding the government to clear their credit-hour arrears.

The nearly 30 petroleum, exploration and engineering students are protesting against ‘credit-hour’ arrears.

They vowed to stay at the embassy until their demands are met.

They claim that the university is demanding 1,500 dollars from the South Sudan Ministry of Higher Education per each student.

The students first went to the embassy on Tuesday protesting against the arrears saying the government in Juba should clear their outstanding dues.

Some of them are expected to complete their studies this year.

Joseph Panaruu Achuil, the representative of the protesting students called on the government to intervene.

He argues that the scholarship arrangements do not require them to pay for the credit-hour system.

“On the credit hours system, the university says it is a private system and any student who wants to join it has to pay fees and we were very clear with administration university that we have to pay but no one mentioned that for us,” Panaruu told Eye Radio.

“The documents we signed in Juba don’t indicate that we have to pay for this department. We reported the issue to the embassy asking them why the university is asking for extra fees when students are under scholarship.

“Most of the students under government scholarship didn’t ask to pay any extra fees. And the amount has to be paid in Suez University for the credit hours system. It’s between $1500 to $1600 dollar per semester.”

When contacted by Eye Radio, the South Sudan ambassador to Egypt says the disagreement between students and the university administration over the credit-hour arrears would be addressed as soon as possible.

Joseph Moum Majak however, distanced the embassy from misusing the money.

“Regarding the issue that the embassy mishandled the grant funds in the first place, there is no money for the grant to come to the embassy,” Moum told Eye Radio from Egypt.

“The grant is an agreement between the governments of the two countries. The difference in this matter has nothing to do with the scholarship.

“The fact is that there is a system in Egyptian universities called the credit hours system and it’s not free. This system is granted by universities to students who want to finish the curriculum in less time than supposed.

“Students can enroll in this program as long as you have the money and because the Egyptian government here equates Egyptian students with students coming from South Sudan.

“Although they have a letter from the expatriates recognizing that students from the Nile Basin have the right to study without paying fees, the letter did not specify any kind of fees But the Supreme Council of Universities insisted that students pay the fees.”