Birzeit protest ends as students strike tuition deal
A heavy budget deficit — though lighter than those of other Palestinian universities — led Birzeit University to call for a tuition hike, sparking a protest movement by the student council that closed the school's gates for a month.
The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education announced Oct. 4 that a committee of representatives from Palestinian universities has been formed to develop a higher education law to resolve problems plaguing Palestinian universities, particularly financial ones.
The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 22nd Muwatin Annual Conference, “Are Palestinian universities in crisis?" held by Muwatin Institute for Democracy and Human Rights in Birzeit University on Sept. 30.
Birzeit University had been forced to close its doors by the student council protesting a tuition hike by the administration of the nongovernmental institution. Beginning Aug. 25, the university was closed for 28 days until the administration and the student council reached an agreement Sept. 22.
The university, facing a financial crunch, had decided to increase the fee per hour by two Jordanian dinars (around $3) for existing students and four dinars (around $6) for new students.
