Damascus-SANA
Participants in the annual conference of the Damascus University Branch Council of the Teachers Syndicate demanded to raise the ceiling for teaching hours, increase pension salaries, and announce a new competition for the appointment of faculty and technical staff.
The participants in the conference, which was held at the University of Damascus today, called for the establishment of a public university in the southern region to serve “the countryside of Damascus, Quneitra, Daraa and As-Suwayda” and to expedite the completion of the amendment of the law organizing universities and to consider the full-time academic compensation from the salary basis upon retirement and to increase the percentage of parallel education, provided that the proceeds are reflected The increase on the members of the educational and administrative body and the abolition of the financial tax imposed on the overtime compensation, which is now estimated at 10 percent.
They demanded a reconsideration of the medical insurance company contracting with Damascus University, investing full-time resources and benefiting from them by purchasing lectures, building decent housing for faculty members, canceling the year of excellence for medical colleges, canceling the national exam as a condition for graduation in medical colleges, issuing a law on technical institutes, and re-attaching them to the Ministry of Higher Education and Book Development university.
In their response to the participants' interventions, Dr. Jamal Al-Abbas, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, confirmed that the ministry is following up and working according to a plan with most of the aforementioned propositions, especially with regard to amending the law regulating universities, developing the university textbook, evaluating the national test, expanding parallel education and moving towards evening education.
A member of the central leadership of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party, Dr. Mohsen Bilal, drew attention to the achievements made at the level of higher education despite the current circumstances and challenges.
For his part, the President of Damascus University, Dr. Muhammad Yasar Abdeen, indicated that the branches of Damascus University in the governorates of Daraa, As-Suwayda and Quneitra receive all the support and attention, pointing out that the opening of new departments requires the availability of space and teaching staff.
In turn, the head of the teachers’ union branch at Damascus University, Youssef Al-Marzouki, reviewed the reality of the branch’s work and the ways and tools for developing union, educational and educational work, stressing the pursuit of investment and securing projects to support the union’s treasury.
Dr. Khaled al-Halbouni, Secretary of the Damascus University branch of the party, pointed out that the issue of appointments in faculties is linked to specific and scientific bases and criteria.
Helena El Hindi - Manar Deeb