Damascus-SANA
The open education system is part of the higher education system in Syria, from which many elderly people benefit to continue their educational attainment, or those whose average in the secondary certificate could not register in the specialty they desire in general education, with the aim of developing their abilities within academic programs that enable them to enter the labor market.
The open education system is based on meetings between the student and the professor and on specific days away from the teaching lectures, according to the Vice President of Damascus University for Open Education Affairs, Dr. Raghda Naisa, who explained to SANA that when the student graduates, he is qualified and ready to enter the labor market.
The number of programs in the system is 6 programs in which focus is given to giving the practical side a greater role in an approach to practical training with the theoretical side, according to Naissa, indicating that a studio has been set up at the College of Media to train students, where the training and qualification process is given great importance in the study plan for each program as it is Selecting qualified Syrian teachers who are able to communicate with students smoothly and easily, noting that there is a plan to use e-learning in this field, with the meetings on which open education is based.
Regarding the status of the certificate given to graduates, Naisa explained that it has the same rights and privileges and holds the same jobs as the formal education certificate. The program targets employees who wish to modify their employment status, the elderly, women who stop their education for a specific purpose or because of marriage, or those who drop out of school due to certain circumstances. Therefore, attention is not paid to The subject of the history of the secondary certificate is very large. The condition in this field is that the student must have obtained the certificate for two years or reached the age of 24 years.
Concerning the differentiation and the mechanism for applying to it, Naissa indicated that registration in it begins at the beginning of next month, as the university’s absorption for each program is taken into account, explaining that there are facilities in applying for differentiation, the most prominent of which is that the student can apply for it from anywhere in Syria, and he can pay with any bank and send his papers through the institution The General Post office, because there is an agreement with the institution in this field, and it is possible to apply for comparison remotely through the website.
Naissa pointed out that the premiums have been modified to become 7 thousand for the course, which increases if the student fails a second time to become 9 thousand and for the third time and more, the premium for the course is 11 thousand, which is low compared to private universities, explaining that there are discounts set by decisions of the Higher Education Council for the families of the martyrs, the wounded, the missing and their wives, which are 500 lira only for the course, in addition to the category of people with disabilities and members of the teachers’ union, amounting to 20 percent, and a discount for the category of reserve military conscripts, volunteers, and internal security forces, up to 50 percent of the course registration fee.
The number of graduates from the open education programs at the University of Damascus is about 2000 graduates annually, according to Naissa, who indicated that the outstanding among them can complete higher studies, as 5 percent of the total intake of the graduates of the open education program has been allocated, and the number is determined by a decision of the Higher Education Council.
Regarding future plans, Naissa said: There is a study to open other programs according to the existing infrastructure and the availability of qualified teachers, especially that these programs serve young people and have a relationship with the labor market, explaining that work is underway to open a number of applied colleges after open education has proven its worth and its ability to reach a large segment of the population. Segments of society.
Student Samir Ahmed from the Media Program said: Open education is an opportunity for the student to continue his educational attainment, pointing out that the problem lies in the fact that the curricula in it have become outdated and in need of development, with the need to focus more on practical training.
Student Farah Saad pointed to the high premiums compared to the current economic conditions, in addition to transportation costs while the student goes to university, stressing the need to provide the opportunity for additional graduates to complete higher studies and not to limit seats to only the first.
Muhannad Suleiman
