‘Ministry committee meeting soon to study return of Jordanian students in Sudan’

AMMAN — A Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research committee will convene “soon” to formulate a plan for the “possible return” of Jordanian students currently enrolled at Sudanese universities, according to a source at the ministry.

Following the state of emergency that President of Sudan Omar Bashir announced a few days ago in an attempt to put an end to the largest nationwide protests in his 30-year-rule, Jordanian students studying medicine in the country have sent a letter to the ministry informing it of their situation and urging it to start devising a plan for their return.

“Universities have been suspended for the past two months, and things do not seem to be getting better. Our graduation has now been delayed for a whole semester because of this,” they wrote in a letter seen by The Jordan Times.

Protests in Sudan began in December of 2018, when the National Congress Party headquarters in Atbara was burned down. Fuel and bread costs, high inflation and a shortage of cash in the economy have contributed to public discontent and calls for Bashir to step down.

Since then, hundreds of protesters have been arrested and dozens killed, according to Reuters news agency.

“Even if the universities are reopened, the chances of a return to the normal flow of things seems unlikely, as there are academic and faculty members who were, and still are engaged in the protests,” the letter read.

In response to the received warnings from students, the ministry said it will assess the situation of the students by gathering all the necessary information needed for a long-term and comprehensive plan in preparation for their possible departure from Sudan.

“We are working on gathering their places of residence, majors, year at university and all other the information crucial to an inclusive plan,” the source, who requested anonymity, said.

The students noted that their security is being “threatened”, and the acquisition of basic goods such as food and fuel were “becoming increasingly harder”. They added: “We are uneasy about our safety here.”

Building on the assumption that the situation in Sudan will continue to escalate and that their return might be near, the students asked the ministry to consider and start planning for their departure in relation to their academic documents.

“We ask the Jordanian educational adviser here in Sudan to ask the universities for our academic transcripts and all the official documents related to us in their hold, as they will be required in the transfer procedures to Jordanian universities,” students said.