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By Emmanuel M . Garjiek
Over the weekend, at least 41 students received diplomas from the College of Health and other departments at the Light Institute for Health Sciences and Advanced Management (LIHSAM) in Bentiu, Unity State’s capital.
The Bentiu IDP Camp branch of the institute opened in January 2020.
Unity State Health Minister Kai Riek, who represented Governor Justice Riek Biem at the event at Bentiu Independence Stadium, praised the graduates and urged them to work at Bentiu Hospital to save lives amid the current cholera outbreak.
“I want to thank the institute for delivering education to our state. This is a positive thing for us as the government when an institute comes and graduates 41 students from health. “The health college and other departments,” he explained. “Education is all about the people giving information to students and even if you are under trees or in buildings, the information received is the same.”
Michael Majang, the Director General of the state education ministry, said it was his first time witnessing such a magnificent graduation ceremony in the state and congratulated the graduates.
“I can inform you that the governor has been giving us directives as a ministry of education to approve and authorize colleges or institutions that want to operate here in Unity State and give them the relevant documents to promote education,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Simpson Lok, the head of Star International University in Bentiu, congratulated Dr. James Nhial Ruai on establishing the Light Institute for Health Sciences and Advanced Management branch in Bentiu.
“It is very important to all of us to have enough colleges or schools to promote the education system in the state because all of our students used to go to Juba for studies after high school,” he told reporters. Nowadays, students can attend Star International University in Bentiu, as well as Light Institute and other institutions.
George Duop, a clinical officer who graduated, praised the institute’s management and stated that they experienced numerous problems while studying but worked hard to accomplish their different courses.
“We congratulate ourselves as students for getting to this graduation ceremony today and I appeal to those who complete high school to join Light Institute,” he told us. “The most difficult task we faced was flying from Bentiu to Juba to take the national tests. We are going to work with our colleagues at Bentiu Hospital to combat the cholera outbreak and aid our people in various ways.”
Dr. James Nhial Ruai, Executive Director of Light Institute in South Sudan, said the graduates came from departments such as community and security studies, public administration, logistics and procurement management, finance accounting, business administration, agricultural sciences, public health, and nursing.
“The students attended the college for three years, from January 2020 to December 2024. The pupils will not travel to Juba for exams next year, but will sit here in Bentiu, with the health ministry and school administration handling the arrangements,” he stated. “The national ministry of health has allowed that the examination be carried here. We must all work to achieve equality in education throughout South Sudan, not just Unity State.
“My message to graduates is go and help our community in Bentiu Hospital and at the various health centers in the counties,” according to him.
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