Sana'a.. Houthi blackout on the revenues and expenses of the Education Support Fund

 For the fourth year in a row since the decision to establish it in September 2019 with the aim of supporting teachers and students and supporting literacy and adult education programs, ambiguity surrounds the fate of the revenues of the Education Support Fund run in Sanaa by the Houthi militia - the Iranian arm in Yemen.

 Representatives of the Sana'a Parliament, during its session held on Sunday, August 20, 2023, demanded the Ministry of Education - run by the Houthi militia - for a detailed report on the work of the Teacher Support Fund, the fate and size of its revenues, and the aspects and size of its expenses.

In an attempt to evade the Fund's obligations towards teachers in Sana'a, the Houthi leader appointed as Deputy Minister of Education, Khaled Jahader, claimed that the Fund's resources are weak compared to the size of the need, as well as "supporting the printing of textbooks with nearly five billion of the Fund's revenues," without indicating the volume of sales.  The textbook is on a black market fabricated by the Houthi group to make exorbitant financial profits.

 While the Houthi leader evaded explaining the reasons for not disbursing the incentive allocated to teachers from the revenues of the Education Support Fund, deputies stressed the importance of teachers obtaining their rights from the incentive, "and discussing alternatives and solutions to ensure the payment of their salaries to continue performing their duties in educating young people."

Some of the resources of the Education Support Fund

 According to the law of its establishment, the fund was supposed to support and train teachers as they are the main pillar in the educational process and support them financially during crises and emergencies and in the event that the ministry is unable to provide their dues in a manner that guarantees the sustainability of education.

 Some of the fund’s resources include the annual allocations approved by the government in the state’s general budget, the addition of one riyal for each liter of domestic or imported oil, diesel and gas, and 50% of the value of annual school fees.

 In addition to 2% added to the qat sales tax, 1% added to customs duties for goods and merchandise at the main ports, 1% added to the value of internal and external land, air, and sea travel tickets, and 0.5% added to the value of each local or imported bag of cement by weight.  50 kg, 2% is added to the value of each carton of local or imported cigarettes, and 1% is added to the value of each telephone bill (landline or mobile) and internet services.

المصدر: نيوزيمن