South Sudan Pays US$400 000 As School Fees Arrears To Zimbabwe
The South Sudan Ministry of Higher Education has paid US$400 000 to the Zimbabwean government as part of school fees arrears for over 100 South Sudanese students who studied here.
Zimbabwean universities where the students have finished their studies and graduated have been withholding their certificates until the arrears are cleared by the South Sudan government.
A South Sudan higher education ministry delegation was in Harare recently and agreed on a payment plan with their Zimbabwean counterparts to clear off about US$1.6 million in arrears.
Kezekia Deng Woul, the Director-General for Administration and Finance in the ministry said that of the arrears, they were only able to pay US$400 000. He said:
We managed to reach an agreement that is a payment plan. The amount that is required from us is USD 1.6 million. They had said it was USD 1.8 but we sat down and calculated it down to USD 1.6 million.
Deng added that according to the payment plan, South Sudan will pay Zimbabwe the remaining balance of US$1.2 million until 2023.
The official in the ministry further said they collected 105 certificates and those students still pursuing their studies to continue without any interference.
