Is not the pass degree sufficient for admission to private universities??!!

There are a number of countries, including Jordan, which still strongly adhere to the general secondary examination, and passing this examination is required for admission to the wide gate of life. For most people, especially in Jordan, the university is considered the first stage for entering the future with its hopes and challenges. I have lived and undergone the onerous general secondary examination experience, which was called Matrik in my time and tawjihi in the time of my children and grandchildren. I started to ask myself and ask others whom I believe to have wisdom and insight about the importance of this exam in sorting capabilities and indicating the skills of the students. Most developed countries, and even developing countries like Jordan and less developed countries, have abandoned this exam in view of its cruelty and complexity, and replaced it with the general secondary examination grade in the last two school years of students, which I have found to be more effective and useful. The reason for this is quite clear. A student who takes the general secondary examination and gets the highest grades most probably will not obtain high grades if he takes the exam one month after discontinuation of review and memorization. So, it is clear that this examination only measures student memorization and retention of information ability, while the objective of the educational process is for students to acquire critical thinking, analysis, comparison and deduction skills. I would like to cease this opportunity to convey to his Excellency Dr. Khaled Karaki, who is known for his wide knowledge and familiarity with many cultures and human experiences, to reconsider the high school examination, and to find an alternative to it that is commensurate with the spirit of the age in which we live, which ultimately will relieve parents and children of this insomniac concern experienced by Jordanian families each year. I now turn back to the main question which is: Is not the pass degree sufficient for admission to private universities?. I firmly believe that it is enough, and I have a practical evidence on this. When I finished my high school (Matrik), the following statement was written on the certificate at the time: (the student marks qualify him for university education). There was no university in Jordan in those days, and we, the students, attended Arab and international universities. Each student used to choose the discipline of his choice in line with his individual capabilities and skills. Thus, the results were positive which reflects the importance of studying the discipline of one’s choice, without coercion and compulsion. When the numbers of higher education students started to increase, and the universities no longer accommodated the large numbers of students, the universities began to impose disciplines on students and justified this approach by non-availability of seats or faculty members and other matters. The University of Jordan is a good example of this. When established, there were no conditions for enrollment at the University of Jordan except for passing the general secondary examination. However, over the years, the rates of admission increased, and the other local and international universities adopted this approach by balancing supply with demand. Admission turned to supply and demand matter, and was not related to the grades achieved by students. Assuming that the mark required for admission to the faculty of medicine, for example, was 90, it was possible that this mark would not be accepted in the next year because of the increased number of students that exceeds the capacity of the faculty. Due to this evident dilemma, the idea of establishing private universities was proposed to provide an opportunity for students in order to save money that was spent abroad and to enable the students to study in their own country and among their families, which ultimately would protect students from deviation and loss. The first private university in Jordan was established on an investment basis, i.e. Al-Ahliyya Amman University. In the early days of this University, which I had the honor of founding, some of its faculties were crowded with Syrian and Egyptian, students, as well as other Arab nationalities. Verily Allah says: “And so are the days (good and not so good), that We give to men by turns”. Yesterday, the higher education was not available to the Jordanians except in Egypt or Syria, but now Syrian and Egyptian students are enrolled at our universities. Jordan became a pioneer in the field of private higher education, prompting Arab countries to imitate Jordan in this area and establish private universities, that offers various disciplines and programs. Now there is disorder in the leading Jordanian experience, due to certain temperamental decision-makers who have placed obstacles and handcuffed Jordanian private universities by all forms of restrictions. This will certainly lead to extensive damage to these universities and their objectives. We have all developed the standards and foundations that ensure the high quality of education, and we welcome the work being done by the Accreditation Commission of Higher Education in Jordan. Yet, we are surprised at the same time by the policy of increasing the grades of admission to Jordanian private universities, which will lead to the migration of Jordanian students to Arab private universities to pursue their higher education. Jordan, who was a pioneer in the field of private education and was targeted by thousands of Arab students, will be repelling its students who are looking for admission outside Jordan!. Thus, the decision to increase the grades of admission to private universities, will destruct, intentionally or unintentionally, leading national institutions and will waste Jordanian funds, which are desperately needed. Furthermore, students will be deprived of living among their families and loved ones. I know that the picture is clear for all those who have foresight and insight, but I deemed that is my duty to explain and clarify this issue according to reality. This is a national, religious and moral duty. Right judgments should be made based on common sense and the best interest of the community, instead of insisting on opinions, which at least could be described as impractical and harmful to the country and to the people. I ask God to guide us to the good of this dear homeland. Dr. Ahmed Hourani, founder of Al-Ahliyya Amman University.