The verdict issued by the Court of Grievances in favor the English language diploma graduates of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University in Riyadh has been a significant step toward reform. There are many positive aspects to this decision even though, in the perception of many, it is something negative. When the Court of Grievances rules against an institution and in favor of ordinary members of the public this means that they have seen to it that justice has been done — this is especially true when the defendant is a government agency.

I honestly wish that governmental bodies would consider inculcating a sense of accuracy in their work, or they at least work in coordination with other related departments. For instance, how could anyone enroll fee-paying students when the diplomas awarded are not even up to the standards of the Education Ministry? It seems that the Imam University had no long-term plans to fulfill the needs of the job market; rather it was eager to make money by admitting as many students as possible. What a financial and humanitarian waste is that on an individual and institutional level?

I really admire and respect the Court of Grievances for reaching such a decision. The court’s order to compensate these young graduates — although the money they have been awarded is rather small — will send a strong message to all government agencies and departments to think twice when dealing with members of the public.

The verdict has also made it clear that educational institutions need to have goals that serve the wider interests of the nation and not just the institutes.

Another thing that we want to stress is that the Ministry of Higher Education has to question and take to task every college and university that produce graduates incapable of assuming job responsibilities.

The last thing we want is more under-qualified graduates to further complicate the unemployment problem in the country. What we really need is to balance the number of graduates with the job opportunities available to them.

The problem is further exacerbated when the ministries of education and the health refuse to hire graduates who had finished at universities with degrees that were not recognized by them. Their rejection means a waste of money and valuable human resources. This clearly indicates that there is a necessity to reconsider the educational priorities in the country.

Finally, I just hope that the Court of Grievances could develop a faster system for resolving cases. I understand that sometimes judges need to do a lot of investigating and deep analyses before coming up with a verdict, but these procedures should definitely not prolong for years. I truly appreciate the court’s decision in favor of the young graduates. However, I think it could have been issued earlier.