Syrian students studying abroad are living through a multifaceted humanitarian and academic tragedy that threatens their academic future and prevents them from achieving the purpose of their scholarships.
Their salaries have been suspended for over a year and a half, officials are ignoring directives from the highest authorities in the country, and they face increasing pressure despite lacking even the most basic necessities for a decent life. These are the most prominent features of their suffering.
In a scene that encapsulates the crisis of trust between institutions and citizens, Syrian students studying abroad have been suffering from the suspension of their salaries for more than 18 months, despite official documents and directives issued by the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic and the Ministries of Higher Education and Finance mandating the disbursement of their entitlements.
These directives, which were supposed to provide an immediate solution, have become mere ink on paper, while officials resort to evasion and refuse to offer any logical explanations.
The Syrian scholarship system places students in a gilded cage, preventing them from working in their host countries and thus depriving them of any alternative source of income.
This dilemma has worsened with the tightening of restrictions on Syrians in their host countries, leaving scholarship recipients in a situation akin to a siege:
- Accumulating debt to cover basic needs.
- Soaring living costs, including housing, food, and transportation.
- Students accompanied by their families, who suffer from a complete lack of financial resources.
- Doctoral students unable to cover additional academic costs such as publication and peer review, forcing many to freeze or postpone their studies.
Dual Decisions: Doubled Obligations and Violated Rights
At the height of their suffering, specifically when scholarship recipients need moral and financial support, cultural attachés surprise them with new directives demanding additional periodic reports and reminding them of the necessity to adhere to their study plans.
While these procedures are essentially part of academic duties, their timing and implementation suggest they are being used as a means of pressure, at a time when the relevant authorities are failing to secure even the most basic of their rights.
Urgent Appeal: Action Needed Before It's Too Late
The scholarship recipients no longer have time to spare, and their crisis can no longer tolerate postponement or procrastination. Their rights require immediate and decisive action, most importantly:
1. Immediate Implementation: Implement the directives of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, No. (3300/S), regarding the disbursement of entitlements without any delay.
2. Financial Transparency: Issue a clear and publicly announced schedule for salary payments to ensure their regularity.
3. Accountability: Hold the negligent parties fully responsible for the moral and material damages suffered by the scholarship recipients.
4. Cessation of Pressure: Halt all unnecessary administrative procedures and pressures until their financial situation is fully and definitively resolved.
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.