Obstacles are everywhereResearchersneed support [Archives:2003/696/Opinion]

By Mohamed Fadhali
[email protected]
For The Yemen Times
I am a Yemeni staffer in faculty of science, Ibb University. I had completed my study for getting a Masters degree in physics in India.
I wanted to draw your kind attention that the scientific research and scientific researchers do not get the adequate attention from both the government and the media. I mean there are many researchers devoting their life for scientific research and actually most of them could achieve many important things. Even when their work is outside the country, it belongs to the universities where they are doing their research.
If one wishes to get a chance for pursuing higher studies, especially in the field of science, he must face many obstacles and frustrations. And after getting the chance for that, other obstacles appear. These obstacles are not related to the research work but related to his stipend and other formalities which most of them coming from the home country.
After completing the study, another problem will arise for getting the return tickets. One may have relatives to do the required formalities for that, or he may wait for long time. After waiting for long time, a negative reply will come that Yemenia refuses to issue the ticket since that university or organization did not pay their credit and so on.
Another important thing is that many researchers do is they perform very well during their Master degree, and they are getting admissions for pursuing research for doctorates (PhDs), but they will find that if they have no resources, it is impossible to get permission for continuation in spite of the full desire and motivation and admission with the lowest cost.
So what does our country need? If we are not going to build a strong scientific research base in the near future, what will be the case of our universities after 10 years?
I haven' read even one article about this issue in any of our newspapers. Moreover, there was a decision to increase the salary of all teaching staff in universities, but after a long time of debating and discussions they reached a solution that only those who hold PhD and above will be included for this increase.
Even those who have a Masters degree are now not getting the equivalent to teachers in schools. They said that was because if the salary increased, no one will tend to compete to get PhD!
What is going on? There's no encouragement for completing higher studies, and if you say OK I will wait for my chance, you will get a salary with an amount scarcely enough for living.
That means during your waiting, you will not be able even to search the Net and be in contact with your field of interest, simply because you have no money for that. This waiting will be only for memory clearance, nothing more.
Of course the exception to all what have been said is the person who has some support (by pass) can get what he wants easily with a warm welcome.
Please sir make your quality newspaper is a mirror for all scientific activities, and be in touch with the problems as well as the achievements of our researchers abroad. Give the correct picture to our people about this important sector.
My hope is that this issue can be made a subject of discussion.
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