High fee: Private students unable to continue study

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some students of private universities have been complaining about high fees and have asked the Ministry of Higher Education to help reduce the fees otherwise they will not be able to continue their education.

It is worth mentioning that private universities have resumed their classes recently but state-run institutions are yet to resume classes.

This comes as earlier the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) had asked the private universities to reduce their fees.

Students complain of high fee

YaldaSultani, a student of Kardan University Journalism faculty, said: “I did not return to the university since it resumed classes because our economic problems have increased, only my mother would work and she has lost her job too.”

She added: “Despite the fact that I was offered concession in fee but after the regime change our economic problems increased and I personally cannot afford to go to the university.”

She demanded the MoHE take steps in this regard and talk to private universities owners to reduce their fees.

At present circumstances all private and government employees are facing an uncertain future. “My father was working in a government office and he is currently unemployed.”

HameedSaeedi, another Journalism faculty student from Rana University, said he was unable to continue with his studies due to economic issues.

“The university is asking us for fee and we don’t have the ability to pay fee. We don’t solely facing this problem, it is happening all over the country.”

BreshanaAhmadi, a fourth semester student of economy faculty in Hiwad University, said: “My father was a government employee, he is currently unemployed and we don’t have the money to pay the fee. If we don’t pay the fee, we will not be allowed to the university.”

Economically unsound students don’t return: Teachers

Mustafa Aqeli, a teacher at Rana University, said: “There is no money in Afghanistan, capitals are flown out of Afghanistan, no money is circulating in the country, foreign investment and aid has been cut off and the government has no legitimacy.”

“The government is yet to be formed, therefore there is uncertainty and confusion among people, students are also not doing well, they don’t return to the university. As far as I know majority of the students especially female students are disappointed and think that they will not get place in the upcoming government.”

“Boys who were well-off had fled the country, and those remaining in the country are poor and cannot pay their fee.”

He termed the situation as terrible and added that efforts should be made to facilitate the youth who want to study but could not pay fee.

NagrisGhori, head of the Political Science Department in Fanos University, said: “1,200 students studied in this institution in three shifts in different disciplines but after the regime change, most of the students are disappointed and not returning to their classes.”

“Private universities depend on the income of a student, when a youth has no income he or she could not pay their fee. At current circumstances, unemployment has reached its peak, youth are unemployed and there is no hope for the future so paying fee is quite difficult in these circumstances,” she believed.

MoHE want private universities to reduce fee

The MoHE in a statement asked private university to take action to reduce their fee. The ministry said that vacations had negative impact on people’s income and living conditions and the students want a cut in their semester fee.

The MoHE asked private educational institutions: “It will be your kindness if you could reduce your fee in ongoing semesters and give a concession to the students.”

nh/ma

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