Poor Students deprived of Joining Universities [Archives:2002/35/Local News]

BY HASSEN AZAIDI
In a dissatisfaction and annoyance atmosphere among the students, Sana’a University has determined Thursday Aug. 29 as the deadline of its admission for the academic year 2002-2003. The University witnessed a huge attendance of students in the different departments while the University can not receive all those students. As a step to reduce this huge umber of students, it raised the admission rate in most of its departments. Meanwhile, the Students General Union, Sana’a University, issued a declaration dated in 21/8, in which they strongly rejecting the University decision which they described as aggressive decision. In its release, the SGU called for raising the capacity in all colleges of the University, reducing the admission rates, and giving up selling the Studying seats, or the “equivalent system” which the poor students cannot afford. Moreover, the declaration warned that such conduct would lead only to increasing illiteracy and paving the way for a terrible unemployment and demanded the students to be together with their syndicate to fight against their legal rights guaranteed by law and constitution. Yemen Times met with many students who expressed their disappointment over the University enrollment policy which prevented them to join it. Ahmed Ali Assamae, a student who has been queuing four days said ” We have been beaten by many difficulties like mediation, crowd, and high percentage required by the University while there is no real teaching at schools”
 
Admission’s period and the parties promotion
At the University, we found that two major parties, namely PGC and Islah, are in full swing competition to gain popularity among students using students registration as a mean for this purpose. Every party tries to influence students to join it a against facilitating their admission. Meanwhile, PGC accuses Islah of having control over the Students Union (SU) in which Islah used as a screen for practicing its activities. Mr. Hizam Ashami, PGC representative said that we are working in forming a dialogue committee to negotiate with the University Board to find a solution for students of a low rates. Abdul Aziz Al Mesbahi, Students Union member and a member in Islah, said that it is the right of students to join any party they like and we in the name of SU ask for expanding the registration period . It is worth mentioning that The UNDP Human Development Report 2002 indicated that the expenditure on education reaches 17,9 % out of the total Expenditure of the state.

——
[archive-e:35-v:2002-y:2002-d:2002-08-26-p:./2002/iss35/ln.htm]