On Sunday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said that “Libyan students are struggling to complete their studies due to a lack of equipment, teacher strikes, outdated curricula, and electricity cuts.”
This came during a meeting between representatives from the General Union of Libyan Students, and UNSMIL’s human rights team last week.
“In the last two years there has not been one semester in which my dental studies at the University of Misrata haven’t been stopped, due to issues like strikes or electricity cuts,” said Musab Gusaibat, the President of the Union.
“The government isn’t discussing these issues and doesn’t have the will to improve the situation. Students should be at the center of the education system, and this is never the case in Libya.” he explained.
The meeting was part of a series of inclusive dialogues by UNSMIL, to compile challenges and recommendations provided by the people of Libya. This will then be given to the government and the international community, to ensure the centrality of human rights throughout the political process.
Over the last year, the UN team has met with over 140 men and women from civil society, academia, experts, labourers, government officials, human rights defenders, and judicial actors to capture the voices of Libyans not often heard in the political dialogue.
“The lack of electricity, missing books, an outdated curriculum, poorly paid teachers striking for salary increases, and poorly maintained buildings are all having a daily impact on the students in Libya,” the Union members said.
They also stressed the need for an education system that “develops students to have the right skills for business, not one where the outdated curriculum means that even those who have access to education and complete their studies do not come out with the right skills.” The students called for better coordination between ministries of education, planning, and economy.
“We are learning a curriculum from 1980, in buildings that sometimes don’t have bathrooms,” explained Gusaibat, “we need a government committee to work with us to update the curriculum to meet current market needs.”