Reports | 25 05 2020
Hassan, a student of Commerce in Latakia's Tishrin [October, after the 1973 October War] University, was forced to pay a bribe of 100 thousand Syrian Pounds, just so he can graduate and start his professional life.
He was actually supposed to graduate two years ago; yet he is about to turn twenty-six, and is several years behind his peers in finishing his studies. One of his teachers at the University attempted to take advantage of him, and forced him to resort to this crooked manner and pay this amount to graduate.
The young man tells Rozana: "Never in my life did I ever anticipate having to resort to bribery... But submitting the same exam ten times in a row, and failing while I am certain I should pass—That is not reasonable. I will not wait any longer. I want to graduate, even if I had to pay a higher amount."
Tishrin University—An Academic Supermarket?
As in most government institutions in Syria, there are many crooked ways of "getting things done" at Tishrin University. The "price" to pass each individual university course is determined based on the branch, specialty, and school year. Each has its own price.
At the Faculty of Law, for example, the "price" of a fourth year—or graduation year—course is 50 thousand Syrian Pounds, non-negotiable.
Ali, a Law student, is forced each year to "buy" one or two courses. He claims he does not need to buy courses, as he is assured of passing; but the bribe is imperative to ensure his papers are graded, as well as ensuring the right grade percentage, required to land a government job.
Ali explains: "Paying for your courses is not as easy as it sounds... You should look around discreetly, and sometimes use your 'connections'—security people, or some other influential person, whatever their position. This is how you can guarantee passing; in exchange for your money—not your scholastic efforts."
Faculty of Medicine: Et Tu Brute!
In the faculties of medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy there are other ways to secure passing a course. These may include the student belonging to the [government-run] student union; "deepening" one's relationship with the Exam Department; or have a father teaching at the same faculty, for example.
The Tishrin University Student Union has not limited its "activities" to bribes and academic cheating; it extended its act to become a source of student reports of their colleagues to the varied security services.
During the Revolution, students affiliated with the Student Union were employed to monitor the political affiliations of other students, each according to the faculty in which they are studying, and writing regular reports to the various security branches.
Mohammed, a young Medicine student at Tishreen University, was arrested at the beginning of the Syrian Revolution, against the backdrop of a Friday demonstration.
Muhammad asserts that his arrest was due to a report written by one of his colleagues in his same faculty. His colleague, was monitoring his conversations and follow his news; merely becuase he expressed solidarity with the children of Daraa on Facebook in March of 2011. Ever since that moment, his colleague was waiting for the right moment to "nab" him.
What is the Reason For Repeatedly Failing?
Apart from the general poor current conditions, as well as the frequent road interruptions which denied many students from other provinces from writing their exams—with their frequent forced absences leading to their failure; there is still a stronger reason for the failure of many young people in Tishrin University: Escaping their compulsory [military] service.
Malik, a Civil Engineering student at Tishrin University, has been postponing his graduation for three years now. When we inquired why he did so, he replied by saying that he wished to avoid the draft after graduation, and that he was not the only one doing so. According to him, most university students are doing the same, these days.