Rai [Archives:2003/666/Press Review]

2 September 2003
Main headlines:
– Parliament discusses the minister of education
– Security interferes in handing over headquarters of Women Union in Aden
– Teachers Union holds its 4th conference
– Lawyers discuss random detention and imprisonment and role of prosecution
Columnist Khalid al-Harwaji writes an article devoted to discussing the new academic year that according to sources at the ministry of education is going to begin on September 6. He says there is an n argument going on in the education corridors regarding proposals presented by the union of educational profession, the most prominent of which is the question abolishing Thursday as a holiday for schools. Most indicators point out that there may be a positive response to this demand.
Apart from politics and the goal the acceptance of considering Thursday an official holiday represents a disaster for education in Yemen. The academic year that begins from early September to the end of May has a heavy burden of holidays and official days. The academic calendar defined by nine months equals 273 days but this period is permeated with 23 Fridays and 21 days of various religious and national days off. The total number of lost days from the academic year reaches 111 days and in case the Thursdays are considered a day off the loss of days off would be 144 out of 273. I do not think there is in the world a country shortening the academic year to this extent in a way the holidays are more than the days of study by 15 days. Thus it does not astonish any one when the academic year comes to its end before finishing half of the curricula.
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