KABUL (SW) – The Wolesi Jirga (lower house) on Saturday summoned top officials from the Ministry of Higher Education for briefing on the protest by students of Syed Jamaluddin Teachers’ Training Institute.
A number of MPs urged the MoHE to upgrade this public sector institute to the level of a university in a bid to meet the demands of the protesting students. Abdul Qadir Zazai Watandost, a member of the house, suggested the protest camp should be dismantled, and students asked to attend the classes. He added a commission comprising of protesting students and parliamentarians should work together to address the matter.
Meanwhile, Najibullah Khwaja Omari, minister for the MoHE, opposed the suggestion of upgrading the institute to the level of a university. He said up to 17,000 students are passing out from such teachers’ training facilities nationwide on annual basis, but the Ministry of Education can only accommodate 10,000. He feared if the SJTTI is upgraded to the level of a university, such institutes nationwide would raise similar demands.
The minister, however, said the government is ready to provide students of Syed Jamaluddin Teachers’ Training Institute with a graduation program.
Speaker of the house, Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, said while concluding debate on this matter that a committee should work together with the relevant ministries, students and the presidential palace to chalk out a solution. He urged the protesting students to end their strike, and join classes.
The protesters are on strike for nearly two months at the Syed Jamaluddin Teachers’ Training Institute.
ENDS
