University Profs indict Civil Service Ministry [Archives:2006/945/Front Page]
Mustafa Ragih
SANA'A, May 10 ) Hundreds of university professors, referred to pensions by the Civil Service and Insurance Ministry, sued a legal action to the South Capital Court against the ministry's decision, which they termed academic catastrophe.
Minister of Civil Service and Insurance Hamoud Khaled Al-Sofi stated to Yemen Times that his Ministry plans to issue a law permitting employees reaching the retirement age to work for five more years after being approved by the Prime Minister. He noted the additional five years of employment will be approved on the basis of demand and rare specializations necessitating work extension, adding that the Ministry will resort to the law to settle its judicial dispute with university teachers, confirming the latter will lose.
Al-Sofi pointed out that his ministry will implement any law intended to grant universities a special retirement system, otherwise the ministry will resort to the retirement law placed in effect.
Dr. Hassan Mujalli, a Professor of Law and Lawyer of university teachers, said “The Civil Service and Insurance Ministry sent a payroll of 600 professors to all Yemeni universities demanding them be referred to pensions under the pretext they have reached 60 years of age,”
The Ministry wanted to apply the job and wages law based on one of its articles that stipulates canceling any clause contravening the law, Mujalli added. “The job and wages law stipulates applying the social insurance law in all government bodies excluding the armed forces and universities since they have their own regulations.”
According to the social insurance law, the Civil Service and Insurance Ministry is obliged to implement the retirement law concerning universities, which stipulates that university teachers must not be referred to pensions until they reach 60 years of age. It allows university teachers to work for five more years on a contractual basis after retirement in case they have the capability to work.
Mujalli mentioned that most of the countries do not apply a retirement system referring university teachers to pensions at age 60 since the majority of these academics can only obtain the professorship after age 50.
He described the Civil Service Ministry's procedure as “irregular” implying the government wants Yemeni universities to be an affiliate to the executive authority. The procedure makes universities lose their financial, administrative and academic independence.
Mujalli commented that via the procedure, the government wants to get rid of university teachers having opposition stances that are not in line with the ruling party. He said that work contracts with the retired staff will merely serve those who are loyal to the government even if they attain 80 years of age.
The Minister of Civil Service said the social insurance law excludes the armed forces as they have their own system and pensions fund. He considered the retirement system in universities as a decision that does not exempt universities from being treated under the social insurance law. He indicated that the Supreme Council of Universities (SCU) formed a committee in its recent meeting to suggest solutions for university teachers' demands under the law.
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