The government of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State has announced plans to hand over a former UNMISS compound in Torit to the Torit University of Science and Technology (TUST), in a move aimed at expanding access to higher education in the region.

State Governor Louis Lobong said the abandoned UN facility will be repurposed as the university’s new campus following the closure of the UN peacekeeping mission’s field office in the town. The decision comes amid a gradual drawdown of UNMISS operations across parts of South Sudan.

Addressing residents during Christmas Day celebrations in Torit on Thursday, Governor Lobong said the relocation would ease access to university education for local students who currently face the burden of traveling to Juba or seeking opportunities in neighboring countries.

“This will allow our children to study closer to home,” Lobong said, noting that the move would significantly reduce the financial strain on families while strengthening education infrastructure in the state.

The governor also urged residents to focus on self-reliance, emphasizing agriculture as a key source of employment amid limited public sector jobs. “We must cultivate our land and create our own opportunities,” he said.

While acknowledging that valuable equipment had previously been removed from the compound, Lobong stressed that the government’s resolve to establish the university at the site remains firm.

The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pasquale Tiberio Moilinga, welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major boost for the institution. He told Radio Tamazuj that the existing infrastructure at the former UN base would help address several operational challenges facing the university.

Students in Torit also expressed optimism about the development. Edward Taban Ofere said the decision would ease pressure on parents who cannot afford to send their children to Juba or abroad. Elizabeth Paska Alphonse, another student, noted that studying locally would allow learners to balance education with work and family responsibilities.

The transfer is widely seen as a crucial step toward making TUST fully operational. The university was established by presidential decree on April 18, 2010, with Dr. Victor Loku Kwajok appointed as its first vice-chancellor the following month.