VP Hussein receives petition to save Rumbek Secondary School land

The Office of Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi Akol has received a formal petition from Rumbek community leaders seeking to reverse the allocation of Rumbek Secondary School land to Rumbek University.

The petition was delivered on Tuesday by the Rumbek Community Council, led by Chairperson Abraham Mayek Gum. The leaders are calling for the government to cancel the transfer of the school’s premises, arguing that the move threatens the history and legacy of the institution.

The controversy began earlier this month when Vice President Abdelbagi announced the decision to donate the secondary school’s land to the university during a graduation ceremony.

The announcement triggered public criticism from citizens who viewed the relocation as an erasure of South Sudan’s academic history.

Rumbek Secondary School was founded in 1948 by the Church Missionary Society. It is one of the oldest schools in the country and served as the training ground for several liberation leaders and politicians, including Dr. John Garang de Mabior and Vice President James Wani Igga.

Vice President Abdelbagi pledged to present the community’s grievances to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who serves as the Chancellor of all public universities.

In a statement, the Vice President’s office noted: “Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi attentively listened to the concerns raised and assured the delegation that their views would be formally conveyed to the President of the Republic and Chancellor of all Public Universities, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit.”

The Vice President promised to provide a timely update to the public following consultations with the Presidency. The community council remains firm that the school must retain its original site to honor its historical significance to the nation.