The Yemeni Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, recognized by the international community, announced the commencement of transferring scholarship payments for students studying abroad for the second quarter of 2023.

The official Yemeni news agency Saba quoted the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research for Scholarships, Mazen al-Jafri, as saying that "transfers of scholarship payments have begun from the Central Bank of Yemen in Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen, to all cultural attachés and Yemeni embassies abroad for disbursement to students in the coming days."

Al-Jafri explained that "the Scholarships Department has also finalized the preparations for the third quarter of 2023 and the tuition fees for 2023/2024 to reduce the time between the scholarship due date and the expected delivery date."

In his statement, the government official urged scholarship students to consider the difficult circumstances and current challenges facing the country.

On Sunday, July 21, 2024, Yemeni student unions in 11 countries accused the internationally recognized Yemeni government of ignoring the plight of students abroad. They stated that this was a "clear and unjustified neglect by the Ministries of Higher Education and Finance."

This statement, received by Barran Press, expressed the student unions' dissatisfaction with the government's "irresponsible handling of the scholarship student file."

The statement also expressed the unions' frustration with the "lack of awareness of the catastrophic humanitarian and educational consequences and the damage to the reputation of students in their host countries caused by the delay in financial payments for nearly 15 months, equivalent to six quarters, since last year."

Student unions abroad stated that they reject "any temporary and non-radical solutions" and demand the immediate payment of all outstanding dues and the development of a strategic plan to prevent the continuation of this hardship.

They added that they will launch a student-led online campaign in all scholarship countries, which will include escalating options until all student demands are met. These demands include the prompt payment of all outstanding 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 delay in student payments and the accountability of those responsible. They also called for urgent solutions to outstanding issues concerning the approval of university and ministry delegates, continuing students, and cultural exchange students who have not yet received their delegation decisions, as well as new scholarship recipients currently in their study countries.

According to the statement, the unions are demanding the payment of graduation tickets, tuition fees, book allowances, and printing allowances for delegates in accordance with the law.

Regarding students receiving financial assistance, the statement stated that it should be "according to the approved criteria and announced on the Ministry's page, and a list of students with outstanding financial claims from the government should be displayed on a unified electronic portal that is 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 upon all students, activists, journalists, media professionals, independent writers, media channels, platforms, and civil society organizations inside and outside Yemen to engage with student issues and bring them to the attention of all concerned parties.