Sudanese Transparency Urges Government to Reconsider Tuition Fees Method of Payment

The Citizen

 At a time when the government warns against dealing with the parallel market, the Ministry of Finance issues a circular publicized by the Ministry of Higher Education to its educational institutions stating that tuition fees for foreign students be paid in US dollars!!

Many of these students are poor, needy, refugees and displaced persons from neighboring countries. The country offers them assistance for good neighborliness.

When a foreign student goes to pay the fees, the educational institution asks him/her to pay in cash and dollars!! And, if the student asks about how to obtain the dollar, an official responses as follows:(That  is none of our business!!),  showing them the publication of the Ministry of Finance and the circular of the Ministry of Higher Education.

Obviously, the ministers, deputies and those in charge (except a few of them) lack the ability to deal with the spirit of consultation and procedure and even thinking outside the box to fix the situation!! (This is the difference between technocrats and competence).

This is not to say that all creative solutions are good, but officials in these institutions must be willing to explore new options and weigh the possible consequences of their actions.

In this way, they can ensure that any new ideas or methods they explore do not violate the law or lead to corruption.

Officials must also be aware of the dangers posed by creative solutions that do not have a legal basis. Such solutions may lead to the loss of public funds, or worse, may be used to conceal corruption.

It is important for Sudanese officials to remember that, when it comes to their work, there is no room for creativity without caution.

In order to avoid the damage that may befall the Sudanese economy and the many loopholes through which corruption can penetrate in dealings outside the known banking channels, officials in these institutions must learn how to think outside the box in a way that preserves rights and does not negatively affect the public interest.

Why are the fees not paid in the national currency, which is equivalent to the value of the dollar on that day, to be supplied directly to the banks in the account of the educational institution in Sudanese pounds, and then transferred to its account in dollars, and thus dealing in foreign currency has been done within the banking channels to alleviate the suffering of these students, And to protect funds from fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and other things that could harm the educational institution or the country’s economy.

There are a few reasons why it may be preferable for fees to be paid in national currency, based on the rate of the Sudanese pound against the dollar on the moment of transaction.

First, by paying in Sudanese pound, the funds are transferred in a more secure and efficient manner and this eliminates the risk of fraud, embezzlement, or money laundering.

Second, by dealing in the national currency, the banks are able to avoid the many loopholes that can lead to corruption in dealings outside the known banking channels.

Finally, making payment of fees  in Sudanese pound equivalent to the US dollar, the educational institution can alleviate the students’ suffering and protect its funds from fluctuations in value, institutions and the national economy,