A senior education official denied claims that students studying abroad on government scholarships have been forced to take up jobs as baby-sitters and dishwashers because of low monthly stipends. Ali Al-Attayia, the General Supervisor of Financial and Administrative Affairs, at the Ministry of Higher Education, said to combat fluctuating exchange rates the stipends have been increased by 15 percent. He also said another plan to further increase the student stipends, has been submitted to the higher authorities. He said the scholarship program is part of a broader initiative focusing on education on behalf of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. One example of the initiative is the increase of universities in the Kingdom jumping from eight to 20. These additional universities allow more people to have access to education across the country, he said. The expansion of higher education now covers 69 governorates in Saudi Arabia. Over recent years the budget for the Ministry of Higher Education has been expanded from SR350 million up to SR6 billion. As part of the King Abdullah Scholarship program students receive a monthly stipend as well as having their tuition paid for by the Saudi government. The program was inaugurated in 2006 with 15,000 students going to study in the US and Asian countries. This year the program expanded to include a total of 35,000 students being enrolled in universities abroad, Al-Attayia said. He also said plans to increase the salaries of university teachers would be announced in the next few weeks.
