The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) signed Tuesday an agreement with the Yemeni government to provide scholarships for Yemeni students abroad.
The “Education for Development” agreement was signed from the Yemeni side by Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Vocational Training Khaled al-Wasabi and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Waed Badhieb and from the Saudi side by the Ambassador to Yemen and SDRPY Chief Mohammed Al Jaber.
The agreement stipulates that the Program provide financial aids to pay the monthly allowances for Yemeni students on scholarships abroad.
These aids amount to some $46 million, including financial aid for the third and fourth quarters of 2020 and the first and second quarters of 2021.
It also covers the tuition fees for the academic year 2020/2021 for 796 students with $2.5 million.
The Education Ministry announced it has begun transferring and disbursing funds for the third quarter of the current academic year, with a total amount of $10.97 million, to cover school entitlements and monthly allowances for 6,136 Yemeni students on scholarships.
Wasabi hailed the efforts and directives of Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik and the executive body to implement the agreement directly.
“This agreement will alleviate the suffering of thousands of students, enable them to complete their studies, maintain stability in their daily life and increase their educational attainment.”
He further praised the kingdom’s support for Yemen in various sectors, which reflects the distinguished brotherly bilateral relations.
“This grant will help the government fulfill its obligations towards its students pursuing studies abroad and to regularly disburse their financial aid, monthly stipends and tuition fees in a timely manner,” SABA news agency quoted Wasabi as saying.
Work is underway to complete the arrangements, prepare the lists and information of the students on scholarships and start disbursing these tuition fees in the upcoming few weeks, he stressed.