(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Association of University Students in Lebanon launched a campaign entitled "My Right to Higher Education" via the Avaz website to demand the right of refugees to higher education and to highlight the main issue faced by refugee students in Lebanon after the reduction of scholarships.
More than 4,000 students have applied for scholarship, including Spark, Daffy, Laser, BA, Institutes, Hobbs and Jawsour Master. Only 150 students have been admitted to Lebanese universities. Moreover the cost of studying in Lebanon has increased which caused the inability of refugees as well the poor Lebanese to afford it. Not to mention the unfair conditions required by grants as the age condition, the lack of scholarships for medicine, engineering and pharmacy, and the absence of grants for master's studies.
The campaigners explained in their statement that the aim of the campaign is to voice the students’ concerns to reach out the United Nations, the European Union Fund, Al-Fakhoura Organization and other organizations in support of the higher education sector for refugees, and to seek to increase the number of students admitted to university scholarships for its importance in the reconstruction phase of Syria.
The statement pointed out that "the campaign aims to provide an opportunity for those over 24 years old to pursue their studies, especially since most grants do not allow those who are over the age limit"
" The campaign “My Right to Higher Education” is launched to highlight the obstacles facing thousands of students in Lebanon, especially the refugee students, preventing them from pursuing their higher education, by enrolling in universities and institutes or obtaining scholarships,” Mazna Al-Zuhouri, a campaign organizer, told Zaman Al Wasl.
Al-Zuhouri pointed out that the donations, funding and support for organizations that have worked in the last three years to help students pursuing their higher education has recently stopped. This would prevent Syrian students from obtaining certificates that raise their expertise and competence in life, so they could participate later on in the reconstruction of their country.
The student who fled the war at the age of 22 while the terminal year of her/his bachelor degree, without being able to finish the scholar year and obtaining the diplomas, missed the opportunity to join the grant of age after the return of his university years, therefore the student can no longer apply for any university scholarships available in Lebanon according to the specific conditions.
Zaman Al Wasl
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