When education improves, everything improves. When education deteriorates, everything falls apart. After armed religious militias in Syria finally succeeded in seizing power, often with foreign aid, joy spread among their supporters, including the faction’s leader who had become the de facto president of Syria.

This rapid success led one of his admirers, a professor at Kuwait University, out of religious-political loyalty, to cancel that day’s exam and give all his students full marks. This sparked condemnation from several educational and pedagogical bodies. However, the university administration raised no objections, and political parties remained indifferent, despite the professor’s behavior violating all university regulations.

The incident passed as if it were normal, setting a precedent that could be repeated. A university professor, who teaches at the same college, said he was surprised by the silence surrounding the incident and decided to raise the issue with his colleagues during a meeting. However, on the same day, he was taken aback by his own students expressing dissatisfaction when he made the same decision to exempt them from the exam and award full marks. The professor filed a formal complaint with the Minister of Higher Education but later learned that the minister had decided to shelve it. He then redirected the complaint to the President of Kuwait University. In what appeared to be a reactionary move, a decision was issued to promote the professor who had awarded full marks to his students, without consideration for his prior political stances. He was appointed to chair the promotions committee at the same college. This decision is likely to create academic and administrative problems.

If the professor who filed the complaint later applied for promotion and his request was approved, it could be perceived as an attempt to appease him and persuade him to withdraw the complaint. On the other hand, if his request was denied, it might be seen as an act of retaliation. As a result, other professors applying for promotion would have the right to appeal the decision and the opinions of the committee chair if they question his motives or integrity. We hope that the President of Kuwait University, Dr. Dina Al-Mailam, will take the initiative to launch an investigation into this complaint. The situation is unacceptable on academic, logical, and even political grounds.

By Ahmad alsarraf 
 email: [email protected]