Some 130 postgraduate students have protested against the decision of Umm Al-Qura University to suspend their enrolment after they were found to have been working in the government sector while studying simultaneously. While the university students had earlier signed a pledge to remain full-time students during their academic program without working, it was discovered that they had returned to their jobs without notifying the university, in a clear violation of the university’s rules.

Umm Al-Qura University spokesman Adel Baneama said that the university did not entirely cancel their enrolment yet, so as to allow them time to correct their statuses. He confirmed that some students who had become aware of the regulations complained that the university was not punishing other students who had violated the academic laws.

A number of students spoke to a local daily, describing the university’s decision as illegal. They said, “The university has used our university identification cards without our permission, in order to reveal what they perceived to be a violation of their rules.”

On a related matter, the students stressed that the integration of the Higher Education Ministry and normal Education Ministry into one collective group did not solve their problem, while other students asked for meeting with the director of the Umm Al-Qura University, Dr. Bakri Assas, who referred them to the Scientific Research Dean for graduate studies to address their complaint. The university subsequently asked students to sign new pledges to correct their statuses, which would also bar them from working for another three years. However, the majority students refused to sign the document.