Refugee students expelled for not paying fees

Sons of displaced persons were asked to pay up 200 pounds by the school administration

High school students in the Manovashi refugee camp in South Darfur complained on Friday of being expelled from school due to their inability to pay fees established by the administration. The sons of displaced persons were demanded an amount of 200 Sudanese pounds, according to a student who spoke to Radio Dabanga.

“We also suffer from inadequate access to text books. 12 students have to share one book. And we have only 12 teachers, nine (9) of whom are volunteers including the director of the school,” the student said.

“I would like to appeal to the school to exempt us from paying tuition fees, We are sons of displaced people who don’t earn a living. Paying school fees is out of the question for us. I would also ask the state government to appoint new teachers,” he added.

Ardamata facing threat of worse living conditions

Meanwhile, Ardamata refugee camp in El Geneina in West Darfur might face deterioration in health, education and clean drinking water standards, a sheikh in the camp told Radio Dabanga on Friday.

The already deplorable condition of the camp is expected to worsen as a result of international aid workers, who look after health and water, announcing their departure from the camp after Eid ul-Fitr.

One of the sheikhs, Narahin, told Radio Dabanaga, “The administration of the organization notified the sheikhs on Monday that they will leave the camp immediately after Eid ul-Fitr.”

He said that the health conditions in the camp were very bad because of outbreak of diseases like malaria, diarrhea and typhoid during this autumn.

The sheikh also added that heavy rains in the region on Tuesday had led to the collapse of at least 17 camp houses in Ardamata camp.