Yemen's Former Minister of Technical Education, Abdul Hafez Noman

Yemen's Former Minister of Technical Education, Abdul Hafez Noman, revealed that Minister of Education in the National Salvation Government Yahya al-Houthi, does not have the qualifications that enables him to become minister of education, in terms of practical experience or academic qualification.

"We really do not know the criteria adopted in such choosing, and these things do not bode well, which means that the educational issue may be vulnerable to further decline, which also means a blockage in whole future possibilities in building a modern state," Noman said.

The former Minister stressed, in an exclusive interview, that education remains a prisoner of mindless political disputes between the parties to the conflict, and there is no future for this generation, and perhaps the next one, if the situation continues as it is. 

"In light of this polarization, there will be no students looking for a better life, but just fighters, and if this systematic destruction of schools and the denigration of science continues, and the suppression of teachers and depriving them of the legal and human rights, education will be only rudimentary schools," he added.

Abdel Hafez Noman, stressed that Yemen did not know, in general, a modern concept of the education's issue, and the attention was focused on the traditional education which is the only space of knowledge derived from the heritage and publications of the clerics.

In my opinion, as former minister, education was not among the issues that raise serious attention to the Accord government and subsequent governments, he stated.

Noman revealed that the aid to be allocated to education by the brotherly and friendly countries or international organizations, the bulk of which, goes to the other parties have nothing to do with education, adding that huge sums of some Gulf states amount to more than two hundred million dollars were frozen, when I took over the ministry, for reasons related to the integrity of the management of this aid.

He pointed out that the legitimate government has the financial and technical capabilities, but do not have visions that enable them to address the chronic imbalances in education.

He hoped to reach Yemeni-Yemeni solutions to put an end to these tragedies and maintain what is left of the spirit of brotherly solidarity between the sons of one homeland.