Houthis are planning to step up their violations against the education sector in areas under their control by redistributing educators according to political and sectarian profiling. This has drawn in harsh criticism and condemnation from the Yemeni government.
The internationally-recognized government in Yemen has long accused Houthis of seeking to skew the education sector to fit their Iran-inspired agenda.
Implementing a policy of sectarianization and political screening, Houthis are targeting educators in Sanaa and pursuing pressure campaigns against teachers who are still showing up to work despite not being paid in four years.
Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani warned of the “disastrous results” of the practices carried out by Iran-backed Houthi militias against the education sector with the start of a new school year.
Houthi actions aim at stripping the public from its will and distorting truths in the favor of Iran’s subversive agenda in the region, Eryani said, pointing out that the group seeks to spread chaos and violence.
Future generations will pay the price of Houthis instilling their extremist and terrorist ideology, the minister warned.
“Houthis militias started school with distorted curricula for the 1st grade to brainwash children and falsify history, distributed political and sectarian screening forms for teachers, and privatized public education by imposing high fees on private schools without considering economic hardships,” Eryani tweeted.
The Houthi targeting of educators and brainwashing of students is part of the group’s overarching scheme to undermine and destroy education in Yemen, the minister explained.
Houthis are known to have financially exploited the privatization of free public education in Yemen to fuel its war effort.
As for sectarian screening forms educators are being forced to fill, school directors and representatives said they were stunned by the personal information applicants were being asked to provide.
They said the forms were unprofessional and chiefly aim to encroach on the privacy of teachers to influence their academic performance.
Houthis are keeping a close eye on educators who especially teach history and religion courses. The group is working to fire them and replace them with Houthi loyalists to skew the education process of future generations.
