Aftermath of the protests in one of the examination halls on Wed, Jan 22, 2020 | Credit | Unknown

Students of University of Juba staged a protest this morning after the administration prevented some of them from sitting final examinations.

Those prevented reportedly did not complete payment of tuition fees that accumulated over their academic years.

“Students were prevented from sitting for their final academic year exams because they did not clear the tuition fees,” said Wilson Mayor, a third-year student in the College of Social and Economic Studies.

Public students pay about 24,000 SSP; while private students pay over 40,000 Pounds per academic year.

Mayor added that they were informed only a few hours to the start of the examinations.

Following the protests, the university administration suspended the entire examinations.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Akech, said it is a requirement for students to pay examinations fees.

“Half of the students actually have not cleared their fees. We had a policy that they had to clear their fees before they are allowed to have exams,” Prof. Akech told Eye Radio.

However, he stated that the administration will look into the matter.

“We are going to review this, the board is going to sit this afternoon.”

All over the world, students who fail to sit an examination for whatever reason normal take substitute examinations next time.

According to pictures seen by Eye Radio, the tuition fee defaulters vandalized chairs, tables and doors and tore up papers for those who were tackling the first paper.