The mission was to raise the number from seven to 24 Saudi public universities. In between, instant solutions were a must in order to cope with the royal decree and its wishes. Renting buildings, hiring massively, media exposure etc. Everything, nearly, was tailored to fulfill and represent the sense of "mission accomplished." Yet, the crowd, again, has dropped!
The population of any university, mainly, is made up of students. This crowd here is powered by youth’s aims and needs. Unfortunately, tailoring was not skilled enough to cover the growth! Nor it was stretchy enough to cover the gap!
What takes place every now and then in Saudi universities, especially the newly created, is a result of unplanned "educational inflation." Targeting the nobility of the concept may have led to a gradual loss of containment. Saudi students, at university level, need to be given space for speech, trust and contribution. They need to hear from university management as they need to contribute in the creation of a better educational environment.
If I may suggest! The feeling of belonging, at this stage of education, can help a lot. Some of these students are just a few months away from being government employees, and a few years from being trusted as leaders!
— The writer is chairman, Saudi Cartoon & Animation Society.
