written by Ahmed Zain Bahmaid —————-
Prof. Mohammed Saeed Khanbash; HU president began his speech by expressing his happiness on the twentieth anniversary of the Education College establishment in Socotra and the graduation of the seventeenth batch in the academic year 2019-2020. He added that the island is known for its beautiful coastline, its diverse colorful birds, its green and diverse vegetation that capture the beholder, as well as its kind, simple people. therefore, we find that when memories come together and emotions flood, the expression of words becomes as a picture of magic and beauty. He pointed out that he has a relationship with this island for about 44 years, specifically since August 1977.
In addition, he indicated that after six years of its establishment, its education system evolved from a diploma system to a bachelor system. It has also achieved a number of developments and achievements after twenty years from its establishing and had provided the labor market with more than nine hundred male and female graduates, the majority of whom worked as teachers and contributed in raising the educational level of the island.
During the Twenty years, the college formed the deanship represented by the dean and his deputy and the number of staff members and their assistants increased from 1 member in the year of establishment to 17 members during the current year, at a rate of (50%) of the total number of staff members and their assistants. In addition to the number of the students which was multiplied from 110 male and female students in the establishing year to 532 male and female students during the current academic year 2020-2021.
Moreover, the percentage of female students increased from 12% to 45% during the current academic year 2020-2021 as well as, the number of academic programs had doubled, it reached four programs compared to two programs during the establishing year.
At the end of the ceremony, HU president expressed his regret that there is no specific building for the college in the island and no majors through which the college can keep abreast with the requirements of the labor market because of the spatial narrowness in the rented building.
To add on, the college lacked the support of the local authority in financing some of its activities and bearing part of its operating budget in the absence of the government budget. The college also did not have a student dorm for its students who come from far areas, as well as the lack of transportation for students and staff members.
The concerned efforts and enthusiasm are enough to solve the problems and obstacles facing the college, which exceed the capabilities of Hadhramout University. Therefore, in this speech I address the following three messages:
The first message: to the local authority
Urgent work must be done to provide a suitable building for the college before the end of the academic year 2020-2021 to be ready in the preparation for the classes during the academic year 2021-2022.
The second message: to the society
I call on all the society segments (local authority, civil society institutions, parties, social figures, members of the Education College) to preserve the campus and confront the robberies and encroachment on this campus. The future of university education on the Socotra Island is directly related to the provision of the educational environment which considered as one of the most important pillars of the educational process.
The third message: To our brothers in the Alliance countries
The existence of a building for the Education College after twenty years has become a necessity and an urgent need, and because the island needs new majors to meet the needs of society, there is an urgent need to establish at least another college. Therefore, I call on you to intervene in building two colleges. In addition to the dorms for students and staff members coming from outside the island.
There is much sorrow on the shores of the island with its charming beaches, rare trees and good children, and it is a sincere message from the leadership of the university to the island of Socotra.