"Massacre" of Scholarships Destroys Ambitions of Shiite Youths: Top Students with 99% Ranks without Scholarships

2015-07-22 - 3:28 p

Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): As simple as that, Bahrain's Education Minister, Majid Al-Nuaimi, crushed the dreams of dozens of top students who were striving to achieve an education opportunity that they will never have. The disastrous minister continued to target more victims: No scholarships for many top students who belong to the Shiite sect, which is part of a widespread policy aimed at targeting Shiites drawn by the famous "Bandar Report".

Since the eruption of the February 14, 2011 revolution, the Defense Minister adopted a policy of discrimination and elimination concerning education opportunities. This policy isn't limited to the educational staff only, it even went on to crush the ambitions of thousands of students as well right before the eyes of the crown prince.

As for the top Shiite students, they have no chance to attain a study abroad scholarship. They no longer have the opportunity to have scholarships of fulfill their educational ambitions, for the minister is following the orders of his superiors to shut every door of opportunity in the face of the youths of the Shiite sect, whose population represents the country's majority. This is taking place just because they led a popular movement striving to put an end to the eradication of hope.

A number of tweeters expressed their frustration at the results of scholarship requests which the ministry kept between itself and the students and refused to announce them, thinking that this would help conceal this unpleasant situation and hide their oppressive policy. The results; however, started to get announced on Friday (July, 17, 2015). It is not a coincidence that they were announced during the Fitr Eid, so that the authorities would guarantee that everyone will be occupied with the holiday.

For his part, the head of Bahrain Transparency Society, Sayed Sharaf al-Mosawi, stated on his Twitter account that the news about the results of scholarships reveal that the Education Ministry is still practicing a discriminative policy concerning scholarships, stressing that "in order to reveal the truth and reinforce the principle of transparency which the ministry always claims to do, it should announce the results of scholarships and names of students."

 

 

Al-Mosawi called on the parliament to look into the information being circulated about the distribution of scholarships and how a number of top students have been deprived of the opportunity of having one.

Member of the Unitary National Democratic Assemblage, Hassan al-Marzooq, said: "My daughter, Rim al-Marzooq, has an average ratio of 92% yet she wasn't granted neither a study abroad scholarship nor a regular scholarship." "This is the magnificence of the reform era in Bahrain," he added.

As for Sayed Ahmad Al-Alwi, he mentioned a number of cases of top students who were deprived of scholarships and their education ambitions. He said that many students with ranks close to 99% were given majors that are not worthy of their grades. Al-Alwi mentioned  a student who achieved a rank of 95% yet was given a sports major although she had listed it as a tenth priority.

 

 

For his part, the activist, Nader Abdulimam said that a student graduate of a 98% rank listed nine preferences yet didn't get any of them.

Tweeter Khadija Haroun; however, pointed out that a student with a rank over 99% will have to pay her own university fees in the Irish university, because she didn't receive a scholarship to study medicine abroad.

 

 

Bahrain Teachers Association deputy president, Jalila al-Salman had said: "Although the education minister's statement saying that all the top-rank students were granted scholarships was only issued a day ago, the number of complaints we have received until now proves this claim wrong," calling on the "top students who weren't given their rights to send their grades and ranks."

 

Arabic Issue


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