The Government of Zimbabwe has agreed to release withheld certificates of South Sudanese students for non-payment of university tuition fees.

Recently, some students who had studied in Zimbabwe on government scholarship returned without certificates after the government of South Sudan failed to clear outstanding arrears to the Zimbabwean universities.

But the Minister of Higher Education Yien Oral Lam Tut said yesterday that the outstanding arrears will be cleared, and the students will receive their certificates.

Minister Lam Tut revealed this yesterday after meeting Zimbabwean minister of higher education in Juba.

“We acknowledge that there are challenges that were facing the payment of the tuitions fees but we have agreed that it is the government responsibility and it is committed to pay all this arears of the students that have lasted for two years,” Lam said.

“Now we have agreed for the students qualifications to be released to them so that they pursue their life. We have 69 students graduated this year and they will receive their qualifications as soon as possible,” the minister added.

He said the South Sudan government will soon visit Zimbabwe to ensure that the students’ issues are solved.

Professor V.N. Muzvidziwa, Vice Chancellor of Midland State University of Zimbabwe who is in South Sudan on behalf of the Zimbabwean, minister of higher education said they would like to continue to share education experience with South Sudan.

“Zimbabwe does have some experience on the continent in terms of education and have excelled in this area is one of our strong points.

“We do want to share with our African brothers and sisters on the experience on the journey we have travelled to establish a solid educational system,” professor Muzvidziwa said.

He said the contribution of South Sudanese students who went through the Zimbabwean education system will soon be felt.

“We are very delighted that we have South Sudanese students we have graduated who went through our education system and did excel and some are doing their post graduate studies. And we can confidently say their contribution to the country is going to make a difference in the coming years,” Prof Muzvidziwa expressed