SANA’A — On Tuesday, the House of Representatives ordered the government to stop the election of Sana’a University leadership, deeming such elections a breach of the law.

The teaching staff at the university had previously decided to set up a committee, which would include eligible professional members of the university staff, in preparation for the elections of academic and administrative leadership, starting with the university rector and ending with the heads of the educational departments.

 Sadeq Al-Ba’adani, a member of parliament, said the university’s board of trustees chooses three candidates from each constituency to be referred to the president for selection. This, he said, is just procedure according to the law.

During the regime of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and during the current government, presidential and ministerial decrees have been imposed on all educational aspects, Al-Ba’adani said.

“Even if elections are over and appointments are made, there is no doubt that the decrees issued by the president will be in effect in the end.”  

Salah Al-Maqtari, an economics professor at Sana’a University, said the Sana’a University elections would be held according the decision of the Higher Education Supreme Committee and on the basis of the consultative meeting of the teaching staff along with their assistants at government universities.

Al-Maqtari said lawmaking is the business of the House of Representatives, but issuing decisions is not.

“Their refusal to elect qualified, educated leadership without mediation is a contravention against the law and constitution,” Al-Maqtari said.

Dr. Ahmed Aqabat, the advisor to the Sana’a University rector, said this decision was made to help prevent partisan disputes and political attractions at the university, in addition to keeping the university independent.

“The republican decree will resolve our differences with the parliament members,” Aqabat said.