JUBA — An East African Community official says students from partner states should be charged the same university tuition rates as nationals where they study and pay in the local currency.
During regional consultations in Juba, EAC Deputy Secretary-General Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth said a South Sudanese student in Uganda, for example, should pay the Ugandan national rate in Ugandan shillings. South Sudanese Labour Ministry Undersecretary Deborah Akech Kuocin said some South Sudanese students elsewhere in the region still face international fees, according to Radio Tamazuj’s account of the consultation.
What students can do now
Aguer urged affected students to document cases and submit complaints to his office. A useful record would include the institution’s published national and international fee schedules, the admission letter, nationality documents, invoices, receipts and any written explanation given by the university.
The specific regional directive cited by Aguer, a formal complaint address and a response deadline were not published with the report. Nor has SSP established how the rule applies to each private university or school. Students should request a written decision from their institution and seek official EAC guidance before assuming they qualify for a lower bill or a refund.
Passport delay reveals another implementation gap
Aguer also said South Sudan’s immigration officials have received training on the East African e-passport system, but the country has not yet begun issuing the passports. Regional mobility therefore depends on national implementation as well as regional commitments.