JEDDAH, 28 April 2006 — The Jeddah Teacher’s College will become the first institution of higher education in the Kingdom to hold elections for student council. The vote will take place on May 1. Fifty-nine students are vying for seats in the council to represent the 3,000-strong student body.
“This election will be the first experiment in the Kingdom at the university level to elect a body representing the students in the college,” said Hassan Aael, a professor and president of the college. “The election seeks to resolve issues faced by the students. The process is significant given the fact that these students would be the ones to guide the next generation.”
Nasser Al-Kannani, a professor who will oversee the elections, said the candidates needed to fulfill several conditions to qualify, including their nominations by their own departments. Candidates must also be freshmen or sophomores and should be able to cover their own expenses. Students of any nationality are eligible to run.
“I am contesting the election under the slogan ‘we will strive for our best’ and my platform seeks to serve the interests of all students. It is very important to be honest with your promises,” said Fahd Al-Shamrani, a sophomore in the Arabic Department, who estimated he would spend about SR3,000 ($800) on his campaign. “I will win because my manifesto is clear and convincing.”
Mashoor Al-Otaibi of the English Department applauded the move to bring students into the administrative process at the college.
“This is a new experiment and a good one. Only students know their real needs and problems,” said Al-Otaibi.
He also pointed out that some candidates were arranging lavish dinners to woo support for their political agendas.
