Barran Press
Eleven Yemeni student unions abroad have accused the internationally recognized Yemeni government of neglecting the plight of students on scholarships, calling it a "clear and unjustified abdication of responsibility by the Ministries of Higher Education and Finance."
The accusation was made in a statement received by "Barran Press" on Sunday, July 21, 2024, where student unions in various scholarship countries expressed their dissatisfaction with what they described as "irresponsible handling of the scholarship student file."
The statement further highlighted the unions' frustration with the "lack of awareness of the catastrophic consequences on the humanitarian and educational levels, as well as the reputation of students in scholarship countries, caused by the delay in financial dues for almost 15 months, spanning six quarters since last year."
The student unions in foreign countries rejected "any temporary and non-radical solutions," demanding immediate payment of all overdue dues and the implementation of a strategic plan to prevent the recurrence of this hardship.
They added that they would launch a student-led online campaign in all scholarship countries, which would include "escalatory options, including but not limited to the swift payment of all overdue dues for the second, third, and fourth quarters of last year (2023) and the first, second, and third quarters of this year (2024) without any delay or procrastination."
The unions also demanded an investigation into the unjustified delays in student dues and accountability for those responsible. They further called for immediate solutions to outstanding issues regarding the approval of university sponsorships and other ministries, continuity students, cultural exchange students who haven't received their dispatch orders, and newly-dispatched students currently in their study countries.
According to the statement, the unions are demanding the payment of graduate students' tickets, tuition fees, book allowance, and printing allowance as per regulations.
Regarding financial assistance for students, the statement stressed that it should be "based on established criteria, publicly announced on the Ministry's page, and a list of students with financial dues from the government should be displayed on a unified electronic portal constantly updated on the official website of the Ministry of Higher Education."
Student unions in India, China, Morocco, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Cuba, Germany, Hungary, Iraq, and Malaysia called on all students, activists, journalists, media outlets, free pens, media platforms, and civil society organizations inside and outside Yemen to engage with student issues and bring them to the attention of all concerned parties.