North Darfur Rector meets with striking med students, families

The new Rector of El Fasher University in the capital of North Darfur, Osman Abdeljabbar, has met with medical students and parents, to explain the increased registration fees than have caused protest actions over the past weeks.

At a meeting with students and their families, Abdeljabbar said that the increase in the registration fee from SDG345 ($54) to SDG700 ($110) is necessary just to cover costs.

Abdeljabbar lamented that while it costs SDG5 million ($785,000) a year to run the faculty, the income received from students is less than SDG4 million ($630,000). The rector also said that the students protesting the fees increase have been ‘stirred-up by political elements”.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga from El Fasher, student spokesman Mubarak of the Faculty of Medicine dismissed the rector’s arguments as “pure propaganda”. The sit-in strike of students at the Faculty is now into its second week, however, Mubarak said that “the students will continue to strike and protest until the university management abolishes these exorbitant fees.”