I do not blame the students. They are not in control, and are worried. They live in a brutal economy. Some of them are lucky enough to get into our public universities, which have reasonable tuition fees, while many others go to private universities where fees range from JD2,500-4,000 per year. Tuition fees in public universities do not cover more than 50 per cent of the cost to educate a student, and normally the remainder comes from the government.
Many students start their working lives already in debt, trying to pay back at least one loan.
Although higher education in Jordan is reputable and lives up to some high standards, this situation influences the quality of education in a negative way. Students' worries of making it through college and getting well-paid jobs cripples their creativity in their fields of study. Many students go to class lacking the desire to learn and to enjoy learning. It is not easy to persuade parents that entering the humanities field also pays off. Many students are torn under these pressures.