Algeria ends foreign study grants for top bac performers
2008-08-12
In an effort to halt the brain drain in Algeria, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has decided to end scholarships granted to top test-takers. The move has met with mixed reactions from Algerian universities.
By Achira Mammeri for Magharebia in Algiers – 12/08/08
 [File] Algerian Education Minister Boubakeur Benbouzid announced a presidential decision that high-scoring exam-takers will not receive scholarships to study abroad. |
A change in Algeria's education policy this year will come as bad news to many students; top performers in the 2008 baccalaureate exams will no longer be granted scholarships to study abroad. Education Minister Boubakeur Benbouzid announced the decision just a few days after this year's bac results were published.
The majority of top baccalaureate students who previously received scholarships did not return to Algeria after completing their university studies, Benbouzid said. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's decision is aimed at keeping Algeria’s brightest youngsters at home and putting an end to a worsening brain drain, he added.
According to figures revealed by Mustapha Khiati, President of Algerian NGO Forem, almost 40,000 Algerian researchers have left the country in ten years. There are over 12,000 Algerian doctors practising abroad, 8,000 of them in France, where a total of 72,000 Algerian graduates took jobs between 1994 and 2006. Philippe Georgeais, France's adviser on cultural co-operation and affairs at the embassy in Algiers, said 20,304 Algerian students are pursuing higher education courses in French universities.
According to statistics released by the Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry and reported by El Watan, 100 university students receive scholarships each year under agreements signed with a number of countries including China, the USA, France, Italy, the Lebanon, Canada and Egypt.
"No measure, no matter how restrictive, will be able to stop Algerian students and school-leavers going abroad," said academic and political expert Karim Mohsein. He believes Algerian students need encouragement to expand their knowledge. "This doesn't always happen," he said.
Boualam Tatah, a researcher and adviser to the Algerian Parliament, is sceptical: "The brain drain will go on for as long as the Algerian diaspora finds itself unable to prosper at home," he commented, citing the example of the "initiative launched in 2000 to create research labs, which has still not taken off".
Tatah asserts that Algeria has no precise figures on the number of high achievers living abroad, saying: "Many of them prefer to cut off all contact with their homeland so that they can avoid military service."
Algerian students appear to be drawn to the idea of going overseas. Many of them have submitted applications to foreign institutions, especially since the 2005 implementation of the Campus France-Algérie scheme, which has so far received 12,878 applications. This initiative is aimed at simplifying the process for Algerian students wishing to study in French universities.
Sarha from Constantine, a second-year LMD student, is one of them. She hopes to study in Paris. Top of her year, she describes herself as a dedicated student and says she hopes to better herself by travelling overseas.
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Un algerien Posted 2008-08-12
Hello, Mr Tatah was completely right. We must have a calm environment for our young students and structures to aid them in their development. Our industry needs to take to training, encouraging our students, facilitating them being able to draw their futures. I am a Bac graduate from the 1976 mathematics baccalaureate. I studied abroad and I came back as soon as I finished my studies. After eight years, I left everything and moved to another country. An equally important question is that of winning back Algerians’ confidence in their government. Good luck, all the same, to our baccalaureates!
moha Posted 2008-08-14
I feel very sad that the government is not encouraging its own people to compete in the global economy. to participate in global trade it has to allow the talent to go anywhere and come back and get paid with very good salary. If it doesn't I'm sure the government will lose its competitive edge to China and India. Remember the economy will be created by brightest and the best. When you lose or discard them, you'll be the loser in the game. and the next Google or Microsoft will come from India or China.it's really painful when you see phd ,ms and bachlor's degree muslims driving taxis in new york or alberta and paris.and who cares about our people if our governemnt dosen't .
HHH Posted 2008-08-14
As an Algerian , I think this decision is right for the country in general. However, our governors should start cleaning at home first. many of those who manage to get scholarships and study abroad are the children of ministers and high profile names . Only the best who get top marks in the bac are from the people and get the opportunity to be amongst the other " privileged" ones.I worked in the education sector for 20 years and left as "poor" as I first got in, the country turned to the worst in the early 80's. Nothing to do with terrorism ! Mr Benbouzid should and must clean and clear his premises first and that such rules be applied to everyone and anyone and especially on those who govern like it happens in the developped world. As for the brains who do not return back to Algeria, I think the Algerian authorities should have made it compulsory for them to return and that no job offer would be made available for them once they finish their studies or training.This should be clear when signing the contracts with all parties concerned. It's a shame that this has to happen , why can't we look at the Tunisians or Moroccans who benefir their countries with their expertise and money? We never hear of an Algerian who has or intends to open a school to help deprived children or families in the countryside? we never hear of an immigrant who has decided to return to his homeland and start a project for jobless people , or to do a project in agriculture. We cannot even feed ourselves with plenty of resources and a young population just lazying around in streets or selling rubbish made in China. It is boh shameful and hurtful for such a big and great country as Algeria, Let the Chinese do the job then !!!!
un algerien Posted 2008-08-15
This is called 'tinkering' at the edges. The issue is not whether to give scholarships to Bac student or not because they may not return. The real issue is how do we get algerians to return to their homeland or at least make it easy for them to contribute to the development of their homeland even if their personal circumstances do not allow them to return in the short term. The answer is very simple: Work in Algeria needs to be made attractive to people to return-after all- people need to be able to reach a modest standard of living; and to be allowed to conduct their work without any external interference. Algeria is currently doing nothing to entice its best talents living overseas to return ; and this is a tragedy. Most -if not all- algerians prefer to work for their homeland; and when Algeria wants them to return; all they have to do is ask them what would make them return and offer it to them. In this case Algeria would be on a winning strategy for its long lasting and speedy development.
bougassas abdellatif Posted 2008-08-16
Students who received a scholarship to study abroad should dissuade others. If only they hadn’t come back. They came back with high degrees and very good distinctions from famous universities abroad. But what have they found in their country Algeria? They found bureaucracy, marginalization and unemployment. So they thought of immigration and they swore never to come back.
HHH Posted 2008-08-19
I completely agree with "Algerien" who says that the problem is not whether or nor not to grant scholarships,but how to encourage good workers by providing them with the minimum necessities of a decent life.And that every Algerian citizen should be treated fairly. As I said in my previous post, I left teaching 8 years ago to emmigrate to the UK. Yes , I am one of those people who had to leave the country I love and wish to have seen under better days.I am very sad to say I gave a lot to Algeria but the system( and those who represent it) betrayed me. But who cares about a small sand dust in that big "intellectual and immoral desert" that Algeria and some Algerians have become? I was full of hope and optimism about everything, got a university degree, started work , did all my best , always sharp and clever , knowing deep down that those at the top were not necessarily the best, studied for another degree, nothing changed. Only the obscure were put at top of schools,lycees, inspectorates,etc...under some obscure laws and opportunism. How can honest young people survive once they come back? They have seen it all! So , even before that scholarship is granted the decision not to return has already been made. Who blames them? Not me , at nearly 50 of age I do not own a house and my postal account is empty. The meagre pension I got after 23 years of service cannot even help my family to survive. Here, I work as a university teacher and translator.People respect me more for what I do and thank me for my services .I own a nice house. I applied to open a translation office in Algeria but they required that I should have a 5 years experience in that field, to know FLEN or be part of FLN to get your way through.Then,I ran out of patience!And left the country, like Djeha..
amina Posted 2008-09-03
I do not see why these students stay in this country: they have abilities that this country does not use. I too am one among the millions of Algerian men and women who want to leave this country. I completely agree with Mr Tatah: they did everything they could to dissuade us from leaving. They do everything we need to study abroad and I completely understand them. You cannot manage to imagine a future here. I hope that this decision is not definitive because I truly would like to leave this country so that my abilities may be of use and so that I can have a life worth living and not just survive.
reda Posted 18 days ago
Dear Compatriots- I just finished my university studies, receiving my degree as a state engineer in electronics. I earn 18779 dinars per month. I tried all the companies out there, but no dice. They all asked for me to have finished with my national armed service and to have had professional experience. How can you expect me to stay in this country???
kadari habib Posted 9 days ago
Hi- I would like to know if there are truly grants for second-year university students in the LMD system in Algeria. –Thank you
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