Kiir pledges establishment of academic Think Tank Article Comments (29) Email PrintSave --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 13, 2011 (JUBA) - Salva Kiir Mayardit, president of South Sudan on Saturday pledged commitment of his administration to support and encourage establishment of academic Think Tank in the country. Kiir was speaking at Juba University where he was invited to speak about the country’s recent independence. He said his administration will assume responsibility of providing the necessary support and guidance for higher education institutions in the new country and that he encouraged the establishment of Think Tank. “Universities are the nucleus of national development. No country can prosper without strong institutions of higher learning. In fact, the government will compliment the role of universities by encouraging the establishment of ‘Think Tanks’ whose main purpose is to critique and guide government on how to implement programs”, Kiir told audience gathered at the university The president, who doubles up as chairman of the ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) said the independence of the land locked country was not a gift but an achievement of sacrifices made after waging war of liberation struggle he said lasted after 21 years. “I would like to take this opportunity to once again extend to you and the whole community of Juba University my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of the historic Proclamation of our Independence on July 9th, 2011. This is a memorable achievement that our generations will remember forever. Our independence was not handed to us in a silver platter. We fought for it; we died for it; we got maimed for it; and at the end we won our freedom," he said. Kiir said that although the country had obtained independence it still faces huge security and economic problems “We must now join hands to build our nation. The theme for this occasion is of great relevance to our current situation: ‘Juba University: Torchlight on the Path to Development of the Republic of South Sudan’. You and other institutions throughout the country shall be indeed our torchlight in rebuilding our country. We should not do this to prove to others; but to build a better future for generations to come. We are the founding fathers and mothers of our new nation”, he admonished. The SPLM leader added that the new era must be used to mobilise material and intellectual resources for development and that no other institutions are more important than building higher learning institution so that they become the basis of the strategy of building new country. “God has endowed us with immense resources that must be harnessed to jump start development. We will not leave every stone unturned to mobilize for development; nothing can materialize if we do not invest resources to building and strengthening our national institutions of higher learning”, he said. He further emphasised plans and the determination of his administration ensure and encourage the establishment and expansion of private institutions, saying that the most important asset a nation should strive for is to have an educated population. “Knowledge lasts a lifetime and no one can take that away from you. The resources we have will end one day; but if we are innovative and creative, we will overcome whatever challenges we might face. So, let me assure you that universities and education in general rank among the top government priorities alongside physical infrastructure development, health, power generation, and food security”, he declared. The president went on to add that his government will foster the establishment of professional institutions to assist in national planning and to cater for the improvement of universities and institutions of higher learning countrywide. “We will expeditiously embark in construction of modern campuses to match international standards. This is very critical especially if we want to retain all students to acquire their basic degrees locally. This can and shall be done”, he said. He called on individuals to contribute toward development of the new nation in order to restore lost of quality education the country had before it experienced returned to repeated wars. “Over the past several decades, our country has lost its best educated people to other countries. Many fled during the war; but were able to learn and earn higher education degrees. We will do everything we can to end the brain drain. Indeed, many have returned home to help rebuild our country. But the challenge is what can this generation do to help prepare the next generation. Government cannot do everything. You as individuals should do what you can to help”, he appealed He also promised to improve infrastructure of the higher learning institutions, stressing that his administration will invest in transforming and building the physical facilities in the country. “We cannot develop if we do not invest in the development of the human resource in order to meet the challenges of modernization, particularly the implementation of the program of rural transformation. Our institutions of higher learning must become the propellers and the core of development”, he explained. (ST) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "JFD info" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/jfdinfo?hl=en.
