JUBA, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in South Sudan on Thursday awarded scholarships to 48 students at the University of Juba in South Sudan.

The Chinese Ambassador Scholarship will cover one year of tuition for eligible students at a leading public university.

Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba Robert Mayom Deng said that the awards came at a time when many students were struggling to pay tuition due to the prevailing economic hardship caused by years of conflict since 2013.

He commended the Chinese embassy for its commitment in supporting various initiatives at the university, such as the establishment of an electronic learning center, donation of books and computers, as well as the construction of the computer learning center.

Sylvester Pio John Faki, a sixth-year medical student and beneficiary of the scholarship, said that the timely support from the Chinese embassy would relieve the financial burden on their families, hence leaving them to concentrate on their academic studies.

"The scholarship is really a great opportunity for us because most of us are facing financial challenges. This is going to reduce the burden on us and make us focus mostly on academics and other activities," Faki said.

"It makes great contributions to the nation's economic, scientific, cultural and educational advances, serving as a key driver of South Sudan toward peace, stability and prosperity," said Ma Qiang, Chinese ambassador to South Sudan.

"This year witnessed the inauguration of the China cultural center, and a flow of visits to China by faculty and students from the University of Juba. In August, 13 Chinese scholars and experts visited South Sudan and were warmly received by the university," Ma added. ■