| Education System in Yemen |
Education in Yemen is a government priority, some even say the top one, yet the poorest still struggle to benefit fully from it, and the gender distribution remains skewed. The basic education program lasts for 9 years and is compulsory in theory, if not universally so in practice. The process completes with the award of an intermediate school certificate.
Secondary school completes the 12 year school education cycle. Students who choose to complete their university preparation follow a common curriculum for grade 10. In grade 11 they switch to literary or scientific tracks. At the end of grade 12 all write their general secondary education certificate.
Alternatively, they may switch tracks, and move to a technical secondary school, a vocational training center, a health manpower training institute, or an agricultural secondary school according to their needs. In this way, a variety of different skills at different levels are acquired in a country continually crying out for more skilled hands.
Western style tertiary education really only began in the 1970’s when Sana'a University was established. Today, there are 9 state-funded ones, and a variety of private universities and colleges too. The Yemen University of Science and Technology was established in 1994 and has 4 faculties, namely medical sciences, science and engineering, sciences and humanities, and an international college that specializes in business, information technology, arts, and design.
The Hadhramout University of Science and Technology is illustrated here.
