The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) Working Committee has reversed its earlier decision to transfer the premises of Rumbek Senior Secondary School to the University of Rumbek, following strong opposition from the local community.
The move was announced after consultations at State House,
where the party’s highest leadership organ, chaired by President Salva Kiir
Mayardit, reviewed concerns raised by residents of Rumbek over the proposed
relocation of the historic institution.
According to a statement from the SPLM National Secretariat,
the leadership resolved to drop the plan to donate the school land to the
Rumbek University of Science and Technology, reaffirming that Rumbek Senior
Secondary School will remain an independent secondary institution.
The decision comes a day after Vice President Hussein
Abdelbagi Akol engaged Rumbek community leaders in discussions over the
controversial proposal, which had triggered widespread backlash.
The earlier proposal had been justified by government
authorities, who argued that the current Rumbek Senior Secondary School campus
was underutilized, while Rumbek University of Science and Technology was facing
growing pressure due to increasing student enrollment.
However, the SPLM leadership has now emphasized the
importance of preserving the historical and cultural significance of the
school. It reaffirmed that the institution remains a key part of South Sudan’s
educational heritage and must be protected.
To address space constraints at the university, the Ministry
of Higher Education has been directed to secure funding for the construction of
a new university campus on land allocated by the Rumbek community.
The decision also stressed that while development in higher
education will continue, it should not come at the expense of historically
significant institutions.
Founded in 1948 by the Church Missionary Society, Rumbek
Senior Secondary School is one of the oldest educational institutions in South
Sudan and has played a major role in the country’s academic and political
history.
The reversal is expected to ease tensions in Rumbek, where
community members strongly opposed the relocation plan, insisting the school
remains a symbol of heritage and resilience.