UNESCO Country Representative to South Sudan visits University of Bahr El- Ghazal

On 30 April 2022, Mr. Julius Banda, UNESCO Country Representative to South Sudan, met with Prof. Victor Loku, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bahr El-Ghazal in Wau. The meeting between the two institutions was aimed at strengthening partnerships as well as seeking areas of collaboration in advancing higher education in South Sudan.

During the meeting, Prof. Loku, provided history of the university. He noted that currently the university is made up of six colleges namely: College of Economics and Social Studies, College of Education, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Public Health and Environmental Health, and College of Graduate Studies. While they are determined to assure greater access to higher education, particularly to young women, the University is faced with a myriad of challenges such as lack of equipment, textbooks and other facilities that require technical and financial support to foster quality education for students as they are the future of the nation.

Mr.  Banda, thanked the University leadership for the great work they are doing in contributing to higher education in South Sudan. He also noted that UNESCO has supported the Ministry of Higher Education on policies for Higher Education and Science, Technology and Innovation geared towards fostering and elevating higher education. “Universities should be the engine for socio-economic development of the country, bridging the knowledge gap in society leading to the attainment of the Agenda 2030”, he said.