Ibb governorate, like other Yemeni regions and governorates, is suffering of the deprivation of many basic services such as: health, electricity and water, while there is a significant deterioration in the educational process with many areas of the governorate lacking schools, which led to the search for available alternatives, such as “shops” to be used as classrooms.
The use of shops as classrooms was not limited to the remote and rural local areas, but also extended to the capital of the province, Al Dhehar, in which the provincial general office and many governmental executive offices are located. However, it is still devoid of any functioning public school in a scene that embodies the tragic situation of education in this governorate located in central Yemen.
The state was supposed to build a school in the neighborhood, even if only for the primary stage students, from the first to the sixth grades. Yet, the unavailability of a school forced parents to delay the enrollment of their children, males and females, in schools, for a period ranging from two to three years or more. This is until they reach the age that enables them to go to the nearest school, which is not close, especially for students in the primary stages. They are also forced to cross a highway road (Al Daeri road), which puts them at risk of traffic accidents.
For years, the people and residents of these areas in Ibb governorate have been calling on the local authorities and concerned government agencies to provide and establish schools in their areas that are deprived of educational facilities and services, but their efforts and appeals go unheeded despite obtaining directives to meet their demands.
Citizen Ali Abdul Karim, a resident of the Al-Dhehar region in Ibb, told Khuyut that: “My father and some of the region’s notables appealed to the authorities a lot, and they got directives to do so, and there was a positive interaction from the officials and responsible authorities, to the extent that some concerned authorities announced a tender for this project".
The people of these areas in Ibb appeal to the concerned government agencies and institutions, the leadership of the local authority, human rights organizations, and the Social Fund for Development, to take into account their distress caused by this problem, and to feel the suffering of students and their parents.
Then the surprise happened - according to this citizen's speech - that the school project was confiscated, as it was said that it was transferred to another area, due to the interventions and pressures of some personalities at the time, but it was not known who was the main person behind the confiscation of the project of this area which is badly in need for schools. He pointed out that the area has suffered a lot from the absence of schools, especially since all the available schools are far apart and can only be accessed through a main highway (Al-Dairi), crossing which poses a real danger to children in the first school grades.
Catastrophic consequences
Many do not realize the terrible consequences on the residents of such areas, deprived of educational facilities, regardless of the fact that the educational process in Yemen has generally declined due to the war and conflict in the country since 2015.
Ali Abdu al-Karim refers to some of these consequences, of which the children bear the greatest share due to the recurring of traffic accidents that used to lead to fatalities and injuries among children, especially since the “Ring Road” as this citizen says: “There was no commercial or residential activity in Daeri road in the past and the speed of cars on this road was faster than it has been in recent years."
Residents of the (old Haratha) area in Ibb confirm that, during the past years, they had to use three shops on the ground floor of one of the buildings as classrooms. The primary classes are taught in two shifts, a shift in the morning and a shift in the evening.
Plots in the dark
In the context, (Ahmed Al Qassem), one of the personalities and social figures in Ibb, expresses to "Khuyut" his regret and sorrow for the suffering of the people of Al-Dhehar region and other areas in the city of Ibb and its districts due to the lack of a school, although it is not an area in the desert or in the countryside, but within the city, which is the capital of the province.
Al-Qasim explained that great efforts were exerted by the people of the region, in following up with the competent official authorities, especially since there is an urgent need for a school, at least for the primary stage, but all these efforts were faltering, despite the initial reaction to their demands.
Several years ago, a land belonging to the endowment authority was identified to be a site for building the school, but "conspiracies in the dark" - according to Ahmed's description - prevented this, after that piece of land was leased to one of the tribal sheikhs, in a quick and surprising way. They were told at the time that the seizure of the land allocated for the project was supported by a prominent and influential government official.
Further, Al-Qasim indicated that the follow-up of the service projects has decreased during the past eight years due to the difficult circumstances that the country is going through because of the war and siege, which had a negative impact on various aspects. Perhaps one of the most important of these consequences is the interruption of the monthly salaries of state employees, including education staff and a number of other sectors, as he hopes that the country will overcome these circumstances, and people will obtain their legitimate demands.
Lack of Resources
The people of these areas in Ibb appeal to the concerned government agencies and institutions, the leadership of the local authority, human rights organizations, and the Social Fund for Development, to take into account their distress caused by this problem, and to feel the suffering of students and their parents.
Radhwan Qumlan, a member of the teaching staff at the school, told Khuyut that the learning process is extremely difficult in these three shops where students use as classrooms, in both the morning and evening shifts. Stressing that there is no appropriate educational atmosphere or conditions inside the classrooms/shops. Further to being narrow in their spaces, they still need repairs, in the floor, walls and the provision of appropriate lighting.
In addition to the above, there is a shortage in the teaching staff, although some of the teachers who are currently teaching are volunteers, meaning that they are not official employees who receive scarce sums from community contributions, with an average of between 20 and 25 thousand riyals per person per month.
"There is lack of minimum educational tools/equipment and environment for practicing the profession of teaching, as there are many challenges that are not limited to the studying in the shops. There is also no suitable school yard in which students line up and listen to the morning program, except for a narrow corner near the public road designated for vehicles and people, exactly in front of the classes / shops, and this means that the students participating in presenting the school radio program have to cross the road from the place of the queue to the platform, and this led to serious accidents as happened when one of the female students had a serious accident caused by a speeding motorbike. On that day, the radio program was suspended or canceled and the injured student was hurried to the hospital". Qumlan added.
In conclusion to his speech, Qumlan appealed to the authorities, to feel the responsibility placed on their shoulders, and to work - seriously and diligently - to build a public school for the area and the rest of the deprived areas in Ibb, even if by searching for external financing, through the Social Fund for Development or others, or even through some Commercial establishments and entrepreneurs. "It is crucial to mobilize the various resources and efforts to alleviate the suffering of the residents and their children in these areas due to the lack of schools and educational facilities". He concluded.
