Our Campus: Retrospect and Prospect [Archives:1999/48/Culture]

A college is the nucleus for educational development. It is the cradle for harnessing the massive human resources to meet the challenges of the future. The dean of the college is its pivot, the chief anchor of its present promise and the principal architect of its future enrichment. The health of the campus is concomitant with the prosperity of the nation. 
How efficiently and well are our educational campuses fulfilling the avowed objectives and discharging their responsibility in preparing the youths as potential stake holders for the future? What are some of the constraints that may be retarding their progress? What remains to be done for their nourishment? 
In our new monthly feature titled “Our Campus: Retrospect and Prospect,” we will endeavor to put the spotlight on the premier educational institutions to try and understand their agenda for the future. 
To start with, we focus on the College of Education, Mahweet. Dr. Ramakanta Sahu, Anchor for Education Supplement, Yemen Times had the privilege of an intimate dialogue with Dr. Abdullah An-Najjar, Professor of Education and Dean of the college. 
Dr. Abdullah is an eminent educator, a leading thinker, a widely known and respected philanthropist as well as a multifaceted personality, who has, since the inception of the college, made sustained efforts to spread the light of education in the governorate of Mahweet. 
RKS: Dr. Abdullah, You have been closely associated with the college of Education at Mahweet right from its inception. Rightly, you are the founding father of the college. Could you please tell our readers a brief history of the college? 
AN: The College of Education in Mahweet was established in late 1992. When started, in its first academic year, 92-93, there were four academic departments: Islamic Studies, English, History and Philosophy with more than 500 students, but without any permanent staff members. However, from 1992 until now, the college has grown considerably to include 7 academic departments, a total enrollment of 1500 students and more than 30 permanent staff members. 
RKS: What are some of the major shortcomings or limitations in the college and how do you propose to overcome them? 
AN: This college started from scratch, from nothing. Initially, there were only a few empty rooms in the building which was to be the college of education. With strong will and determination, we were able to overcome the major difficulties. It was a challenge, to be or not to be. Now, there are some achievements that make us feel proud. Some of these achievements are the small library, the computer lab, the physics lab, and the new building. In addition to these, the college is now self-sufficient in terms of the teaching staff. 
RKS: What are your plans for the future expansion of the Faculty of Education? Do you, for example, plan to open a post-graduate department in the foreseeable future? 
AN: We are looking forward to seeing more colleges established in the surrounding areas in the future. Let us hope that this college represents the first step for a new University in Mahweet. 
RKS: In general, students in Yemen seem to have poor reading habits. What do you envisage to improve the library facilities in the college that may lead to promoting the students’ reading skills? 
AN: Yes, I agree with you. Unfortunately, Yemeni students, in general, don’t read that much. Moreover, I could say that the majority of Yemeni high school graduates would not have read even a single book out of the school curriculum. This is a very serious problem which the Ministry of Education and Educational Research Centers must do something about. When the students come to the universities, it might be too late to develop their reading habits. All the college could do with a view to promoting students’ proficiency in reading skills is to provide collections of good reading materials and books, also to let the students engage themselves in small scale classroom oriented pedagogic research and write term papers during the college years. 
RKS: Do you have any other comments or advice to offer for the benefit of students? 
AN: I thank the Yemen Times very much for giving me this opportunity. And all I can say to our dear students in Yemeni Universities is, “Please read, read and read. There is nothing which makes a person educated and cultured in the true sense of the term except reading, not only prescribed textbooks, but all kinds of material in all fields of knowledge.” 
RKS: On behalf of the Yemen Times and on my personal behalf, I thank you, sir, for your illuminating views. 

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