Students continue protest at Hashemite University over tuition fees

AMMAN — Hashemite University students on Tuesday vowed to continue their open-ended protest, accusing the university administration of backing away from a previous agreement. 

Students are protesting over an administrative decision announced during the summer course under which they must pay tuition fees for credit hours registered or drop the courses, said student Ibrahim Obeidat.

“The decision was announced during the last month of the summer course. We are asking the administration to start implementing the decision this semester, not for students who found out about it in the summer course, when it was already too late,” he added.

Students are asking for the payment deadline to be extended, Obeidat said, adding that the Zarqa-based university had agreed to push it forward by 45 days. 

The university’s dean of student affairs, Mustafa Khawaldeh, said the decision was issued because students used to register for the summer course and wait for their results before deciding whether or not to pay. 

“It was too much for the university’s budget. Students who were satisfied with their results paid while those who failed their classes did not pay for them. It is a way to regulate things,” he told The Jordan Times.

“Most of the students who object are those who did not pass their classes during the summer course. They protest because they are not satisfied with their results,” Khawaldeh added.

He said the payment period has already been extended more than once, but that the university will extend it to meet the demands of students.

The deadline will be initially set for October 13, the official noted, adding that the total weeks for registration and payment reached around six weeks.

Khawaldeh said MPs from Zarqa Governorate, 22km northeast of Amman, met with university officials and students to reach an agreement, adding that the university has scheduled a meeting with protesters on Wednesday afternoon to try and find a solution.