Lack of resources a major issueUniversity life is filled with challenges [Archives:2004/783/Community]
By Ramzi al-Absi
Yemen Times Staff
The life of students can be a controversial topic. It's seen as a symbol of struggle or a store of troubles. It can bring the bitterness of suffering and the grandeur of knowledge. Students have a real struggle against obstacles and difficult circumstances.
The Yemen Times made a survey in Sana'a University to show what students face, to let you see what hinders them to record better achievements. The list included a series of problems. Which ones get the priority is the question.
Sexual discrimination
It is a phenomenon that is present globally. It, however, varies from country to country. Women usually complain of discrimination, but it is not always the case. Muneer Al-Humaidi, a fourth-level students, English department, says that the main problem that disturbs his peace is the discrimination between boys and girls by some teachers as well as officers in the university.
“In all respect, girls have the priority. You can imagine the consequence. We can touch that in teachers' interaction with students; they help girls more; their treatment is totally biased. This results in attaining higher marks by some unqualified girls.”
Muneer admits, however, that there are noble teachers who deal with students equally as their sons and daughters.
Ibtihal al-Agbari confirms his claim. “I suffer from this discrimination, though I am a girl. Some of our respected teachers are unfortunately influenced by the flattery of some girls. I saw some girls complimenting their teachers and they got more marks accordingly.”
Ibtihal stressed that students who depend on themselves can solve the problems they face and overcome any obstacles.
Iman, from the faculty of languages, thinks that boys and girls are both liable to discrimination. “A teacher may be affected by his opinion about a student. Regardless of the sex, a teacher may give more marks to whom he knows more.'
A teacher replies
Prof. Abraham, Professor of literature, Department of English, Faculty of Education:
“The teacher should be very honest and sincere, that's the precept of the teacher. The teacher should be of high moral standard. He should be a scholar whose main duty is to teach students. And for the teacher, students are always equal. For me, for example, I consider my students as my own children. There is no question of discrimination at all. It is my duty to look at them in that respect only. Otherwise, I am not a sincere teacher.”
“Who discriminates between students is not a real teacher. The real one doesn't have any kind of discrimination. He sees that some inclination towards girls is not due favoritism, but they get it by merit.
“Generally speaking, the performance of the girls is better than the boys.' The girls are more receptive; it seems that they are working harder, maybe because girls are not chewing Qat. The majority of boys have other works. So, naturally girls will get better marks. This is everywhere, in all faculties.”
Lack of references
Abdullah al-We'rah, a former university student, believes the problem that dominates the entire academic life of a university student is the lack of book references.
For him, it is a first-hand experience. “When conducting a research, we need references. I know that we can use the Internet, but the book is still a great reference we can refer to. It is too difficult to find books about my research topic; in case I get one that is somehow about it, the book would be more than thirty years old. They are outdated!”
Iman agrees that the books represent a problem. “There are no specific books to refer to or to study; every year we have different books. Besides, the books in the libraries are so archaic that we don't get benefit from them.”
Another student of the faculty of languges said “In the library, we may find titles of books but we don't find any when looking for them. They are missing”
Facutly member Marwan al-Murwi identifies another problem. “We don't have language labs.”
Also, the faculty of languages has no building. Students spend the years of study between the Faculties of Education, Law and Arts.
A vital issue was indicated by Ibtihal: democracy. “The absence of the democratic methods in teaching hinders students to express themselves.”
Boring routine
“The student's life is a collection of troubles” Al-Migdad Dahesh said. “They are relatively different from one to another. But, here, in the University of Sana'a, the bothersome administrative routine is easily noticeable. If a student loses his university ID card, he will waste his time and sacrifice classes for the sake of having a new one. Other problems include higher fees, discrimination, etc.”
Another shares the same view, because “to do the simplest thing, one needs at least a month.”
Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) has his own way to express his viewpoint, regardless of his different era. In his 'The Scholar's Life', he says:
“When first the college rolls receive his name,
The young enthusiast quits his ease for fame;
Through all his veins the fever of the renown
Burns from the strong contagion of the gown;
Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes
And pause awhile from letters to be wise;
There mark what ills the scholar's life assail,
Toil, evil, want, the patron, and meanly just,
To buried merit raise the tardy bust.
If dreams yet flatter, once again attend,
Heart Lydiat's life and Galileo's end.”
I have a dream
Dr. Ayid Sharyan, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Faculty of Education explained: “There are problems related to the students themselves; others like economic factors and academic environment affect students. Some problems are among students if they ally to this party or that. This causes a gap of communication between some of them. For example, two days ago, there was some form of demonstration in the college for it was said that some students had some problems with the security in the college.
“Other problems are related to education. I do not feel happy with the performance of many students for they have no access to recent books, journals, and newspapers though we are living in an information era. Workshops, seminars, competitions, debates, journeys, paper readings; extra-curriculum activities are not very common at the university. E-learning, internet and multimedia labs are not common either. A place for setting, prayer, seminars, reading room, in a university department is not available. For this, one finds many of the university students, particularly at college of education roaming around, wasting time, while classes are on for they have no place to sit between classes. This leads to a weak output among university students.
“This is one side of the problem of university students. The other is related to economic life. In this respect, there are many things that may not be familiar to me, e.g. accommodation, transportation, place of study and so on. However, the male students seem to be under social pressure more than the female students. They need to work for some time or the other to support themselves for living and studying. Some are responsible for their families. Others may be coming from rural areas or disadvantaged sector of the society and they need to study and live like their peers: chew qat (though unhealthy), dress in a proper way, invite others, go to visit some friends, buy books, newspapers, handouts, use internet, etc. Accommodation, transportation and other necessities need some regular income. Such hurdles lead to decline in creativity of the university students.
“But I have a dream that university students will have a resting place in and around their colleges, telecommunication centres and telephone booths in the university, canteens, busses, journals, newspapers and books as well as Internet in every college. I have a dream that the university students will be able to enter any college without a checkpoint at the gate. It is hoped graduates will get easily their documents and will discover no problem in the control when they process their mark sheets.”
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