(BOR) – Dr John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology in Bor, Jonglei State, remains closed due to a prolonged food shortage that has disrupted the start of the 2025 academic year.
A student leader has blamed the crisis on delayed payments to the institution’s feeding contractor by the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
The university is one of South Sudan’s five public universities and relies on a government funded student feeding programme which has faced repeated interruptions. The current disruption has left more than 1,300 students, many from across the country, without access to education since March.
Malek Magok Garang, the Guild President of the university, confirmed that classes were meant to begin earlier this year but were suspended by the administration due to the unavailability of food supplies for students. He said the continued closure has affected all students, including those nearing graduation.
“It has affected all the students because their calendar is now changed. If it opens now, this month or next month, maybe only one semester will be completed this year,” said Garang.
The student leader called on the national government to urgently clear the outstanding payments owed to the food contractor, so that academic activities can resume.
He also suggested that the government should consider cancelling the feeding programme entirely if it cannot be maintained, so that students can return to class without further delay.
“One of the solutions we proposed was to open the university and for the government to cut off the feeding programme. Given the current situation in the country, we told them the schools should be opened and the feeding left out,” Garang added.
The university administration has not publicly responded to the situation. However, this is not the first time the institution has experienced closures due to feeding related financial problems.
In 2021, Dr John Garang Memorial University partially suspended its operations following a similar payment delay by the Ministry of Finance.
Founded as a key institution for science and technology in the country, the university serves students from various parts of South Sudan. As per its official website, it currently has an enrolment of about 1,300 students.
