Khaberni - MP Saleh Al-Armouti criticized the involvement of specialists and former ministers in the permanent parliamentary committee discussions regarding the project of merging the Ministries of Education and Higher Education, questioning the usefulness of listening to their opinions when they are not taken into account, despite there being a consensus against the merger.
During a legislative session of the House of Representatives today, Sunday, Al-Armouti, the head of the Islamic Action Front parliamentary bloc, stated that the Minister of Education, Azmi Mahafzah, had previously expressed his rejection of the idea of merging the two ministries, wondering why he has not made a clear stance on the matter as a member of the current government.
Al-Armouti added: If I were personally a minister in the government and a bill that contradicts my previous positions was presented, I would resign immediately without discussion.
In response, Minister of Education Azmi Mahafzah stated that he had not declared any firm position against merging the ministries at any stage.
Mahafzah explained that he had previously held the portfolios of both Education and Higher Education, indicating that the discussion on merging or restructuring ministries cannot be reduced to a single headline or emotional stance, but should be considered within a comprehensive vision for educational reform.
He added that universities in many countries are managed with institutional autonomy through multiple councils and internal systems, which ensures the independence of academic decisions, emphasizing that the ministry does not interfere directly in the academic affairs of universities, but operates within the framework of public policies.
Mahafzah clarified that having a Ministry of Higher Education is linked to the need to regulate the sector and set public policies for it, not to manage universities, stressing that any discussion on restructuring ministries must start from the criteria of efficiency and governance.
