Decided to accept students who have passed the secondary school certificate in all branches of Syrian universities and colleges

Dam Press:

The Supreme Committee for University Absorption, headed by Caretaker Prime Minister Engineer Hussein Anous, decided at its meeting today to accept students who have passed the high school certificate in all branches of Syrian universities and colleges in the academic year 2024-2025, based on the absorption capacity proposed by the University Council and studied by the Higher Education Commission.
The committee approved additional criteria for some college admissions, including standardized tests in the media and political science departments and continued admissions competitions in the architecture, fine arts, physical education and music departments.
Regarding the foundation year, approval is given to accept at the end of the foundation year 50% for the Faculty of Medicine and 50% between the Faculties of Dentistry and Pharmacy, and approval for professional grades in the Faculties of Languages, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematical Statistics.
The Committee agreed to continue using electronic systems for different types of differentiated remote applications, and to expand the absorptive capacity of technical colleges, applied colleges and engineering colleges required by the labor market, with a focus on specific medical specialties required by the health sector, and to redistribute students between vocational and general education so that the share of secondary vocational education gradually increases to 35%.

The discussion focused on the necessary steps at the general policy level and at the procedural level to achieve the quality of the educational process and its results, while ensuring the requirements of the labor market for various types of qualified cadres. The need to reconsider the semester system was emphasized. Emphasis was placed on theoretical faculties and their transformation into an annual system, as well as on opening up educational programs and transforming them into a hybrid education system, benefiting from the experience of virtual universities and creating new specific specialties in faculties.
The Prime Minister stressed the government’s commitment to meeting the requirements of the educational process, improving the quality and type of education, focusing on meeting the needs of the labor market for various types of scientific, professional and technical cadres, improving the actual situation of teaching staff and the need for optimal investment in university infrastructure, explaining the importance of providing universities with data on the labor market platform to benefit from the indicators contained therein, aimed at formulating university admissions policies that will help meet the needs of the market for all professions, taking into account all measures to improve the actual situation of educational hospitals and meet their requirements.
Dr. Bassam Ibrahim, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the caretaker government, stated that differentiated centers are distributed in universities and their branches, all material needs and human resources are provided, a steering committee for guidance, awareness, cooperation with the National Union of Syrian Students to apply for differentiated students is formed, as well as the approval of the wishes of the preparatory year (ordinary, parallel and scholarships) allocated to private universities, as well as medical seats therein, according to general preference in one card), to ensure that medical schools do not lose seats.
Regarding technical education, Minister Ibrahim pointed out the importance of focusing on technical colleges, as graduates of these colleges are needed by state institutions and the private sector, noting that 5% of the first batch of technical or vocational education secondary certificate holders are admitted to the corresponding professional colleges, 3% to the corresponding professional colleges, and 3% to the corresponding professional technical colleges of university colleges, and the admission ratio is based on Decree No. 16 of 2022. In addition to accepting 100% of certificate holders, no more than 10% of graduates of medical and health technical colleges of medical colleges are committed to serving the relevant public authorities in the health sector. Vocational secondary schools in applied colleges (mechatronics – computer technology – renewable energy – medical device technology – heating and air conditioning – communications) appoint 5% of the top graduates in each institute, department or specialty of public institutions every academic year without competition.
Dr. Taha Khalifa, member of the Central Leadership of the Arab Socialist Baath Party and Director of the Higher Education Office, explained that the absorption policy requires a lot of research and overcoming the difficulties faced by universities in ensuring administrative and technical cadres to improve the quality of the educational process and expand the premises of some universities.
Dr. Mohammad Ezzat Arabi Al-Katebi, member of the Party Central Leadership and Director of the Education and Talent Office, elaborated on the importance of integration and coordination between the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education in formulating a comprehensive university admissions policy that focuses on early career guidance, understanding students’ talents, and nurturing them through the educational process to meet the needs of the labor market.