Houthis privatizing Yemen’s state-owned schools

Noura Bendari

The criminal Houthi militia keeps committing crimes with the aim of controlling everything in Yemen. It uses every method possible to make this control.

Privatizing schools

Having laid their hands on mosques, houses and banks across Yemen since staging their coup in the country in September 2014, the Houthis are now turning to Yemen’s schools.

It now works to let the public schools into private hands, especially in Yemeni capital Sana’a. By doing this, the Houthis want to increase their financial resources.

Corruption

According to Yemeni reports on November 6, the Iran-backed militia keeps spreading its corruption in Yemen.

It had privatized some of the schools to earn more money.

Houthi minister of education Hussein al-Houthi issued a decision in October this year for letting 20 government-owned schools in Sana’a into private hands.

The new administrations in the same schools have already started charging their pupils high amounts of money in study fees.

Houthi claims

Houthi leaders claim that the schools will offer distinguished educational services after their privatization.

The schools will enlist the services of qualified teachers, which requires an increase in the fees.

Pupils enrolled in stages between the first primary stage and the sixth primary stage will be required to pay around $260 in fees. Older pupils will have to pay more money.

Media campaigns

Activists affiliated to the terrorist Houthi militia have launched media campaigns on social media sites with the aim of giving the Yemeni public information about the privatized schools and the services they will offer.

Yemen’s other government-owned schools continue to offer their services for reduced or no fees. However, the privatized schools will open in the afternoons.