South Sudan has shut down more than 20 private universities that it said were operating illegally, placing the future of higher education on the spot in a country where public universities are only partially operational.The minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology, Peter Adwok Nyaba, said the institutions were illegal for they have been operating on letters of no objection that were meant to only enable them acquire and develop land.
"The 'no objection letter' does not mean that you go and operate. You have to come back for guidelines and curriculum," Dr Adwok said on Sunday.
"You can't run a university without an act of parliament. These so called private universities don't have an act of parliament. They don't have the senate. They are not chartered. Their certificates will not be recognised," he added.