Continuing education students at Taiz University demonstrate to demand the cancellation of the decisions of the Ministry of Higher Education

Dozens of continuing education students at Taiz University held a protest today, Wednesday, demanding that the leadership of the Ministry of Higher Education reverse its decision to mine the continuing education system at the university.

The students considered the ministerial decision to affect the future of 3,500 male and female students enrolled in the university’s continuing education system.

The protesting students called on the Ministry of Higher Education to take the students into consideration, study this decision, and develop reasonable solutions that do not affect the educational life of thousands of students.

A number of students asked, in statements to the "Yemeni Youth" channel, about the reason for taking this decision, stressing that Taiz is not lacking war, considering this decision as "aimed at destroying education."

The students addressed the leadership of the Ministry of Higher Education, saying: We hope that you will support the university and provide it with infrastructure, rather than issuing such irresponsible decisions.

The protesting students stressed that this decision is unacceptable and targets Taiz and its university, stressing at the same time that they will not give up studying at Taiz University no matter the cost.

The students considered this decision as opening the way for private universities, which they said do not have any qualified infrastructure, and are opening programs without any standards or qualified cadres.

Higher Education Decision

The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, Technical and Vocational Education announced, at the beginning of this week, the continuation of the decision to suspend professional diploma programs (post-secondary) in public universities, based on Ministerial Resolution No. 2 of 2022 AD.

The ministry referred in a statement to the memorandum directed by the Minister of Higher Education to the Chairman of the Medical Council, which confirms that all open medical diploma programs at the Continuing Education Center at Taiz University (are not recognized) and were suspended two years ago based on Ministerial Resolution No. 2 of 2022 AD.

The ministry said in a statement that "the continued opening of professional diploma programs by some government universities is a violation of laws and regulations, an infringement of the laws regulating the educational process, and the separation between university specializations and specializations of technical institutes and community colleges."

It reiterated its non-recognition of "these (violation) programs," stressing that it "will not accredit any certificate, which the ministry had previously circulated to all government universities, and announced on its website and official page in mid-May 2022."

She also renewed her call to "all students not to respond to advertisements for registration in these unrecognized programs, for the sake of their future."

Taiz University responds

Taiz University Council confirmed in its meeting today the legality of the diploma programs at the university’s Continuing Education Center, and reassured its students and their parents of the validity and safety of the students’ legal status, and that these programs and their documents are approved in accordance with the law.

The Council expressed its surprise and deep regret over the irresponsible handling of the Minister of Higher Education’s memorandum published on the Ministry’s website and via social media, which was devoid of any legal basis or academic norm, and outside the Ministry’s jurisdiction.

The Council affirmed the legitimacy and legality of diploma programs in Yemeni universities according to the Yemeni Universities Law and the Higher Education Law. The university has the right to defend its legally granted right and the right of its students and all university affiliates, and to confront any infringement thereof by all legal means through the highest official channels and through the judicial authority, administratively and criminally, against anyone who deliberately offends the university, harms it and its students, and undermines its academic reputation and scientific standing.

The Council approved the formation of an academic committee from the Council members and tasked the Legal Department with doing what is legally necessary.