The academic staff at Rumbek University of Science and Technology has urged President Salva Kiir to dismiss the university’s top administrators, citing administrative incompetence.
The staff alleged that both the vice chancellor and deputy vice chancellor have effectively privatized the public institution, fostering disunity within the university.
“The deputy vice chancellor for administration and finance is solely running university affairs like private property, sowing division, and inciting non-academic staff to harass academic personnel,” they stated.
Additionally, the staff accused the vice chancellor of being indecisive in addressing issues affecting academic staff, warning that his failure to act could result in disorder and chaos at the university.
In a formal letter addressed to President Kiir, Khot Manyuon, acting chairperson of the Rumbek Academic Staff Association, appealed for urgent intervention to restore the institution.
“The academic staff call on you, as chancellor of public universities and president of South Sudan, to take immediate action in rescuing the university from total collapse. We urge you to appoint competent administrators who can steer the institution towards realizing its vision and mission,” the letter read.
The staff accused the top administrators of administrative incompetence, denial of accommodation for academic staff, harassment, and making disrespectful remarks.
They issued a one-week ultimatum for the removal of the officials, warning that failure to meet their demands would force them to take industrial action.
“In conclusion, the academic staff association has set a deadline of one week (7 days) for the removal of the three officials. Should the deadline lapse without results, we will have no option but to resort to industrial action,” the statement warned.
