Manama: Amid increasingly vociferous outcries over blatant abuses by private universities, Bahrain's Higher Education Council has threatened to name and shame offenders.
"Universities and higher education institutions that do not abide by the council's rules and regulations will have their names and their specific offense published in the local media," the council said as it announced new procedures to ensure quality educational and management standards.
Private higher education institutions have mushroomed in Bahrain over the last six years, taking advantage of the high demand for seats by Bahrainis and Gulf students, mainly from neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
A large number of the applicants have also taken advantage of the numerous evening courses, a fact that enabled them to keep their jobs and study.
However, in their fierce race to enroll students, some universities allegedly engaged in administrative malpractices and flouted the regulations by hiring inadequately qualified staff, lightening course loads and easing registration procedures, attendance and examinations.
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Page last updated 01 January 2020