All my life I have studied in the United Arab Emirates. Although my dad and uncles have gotten their higher education in the United States and I have visited many parts of the states myself, I had never visited any school or university in the USA before the 13th of November 2003.
Seeing students misuse the books and educational institutes the government has provided for us was seen everyday in the UAE. I never really thought about the things the students used to do until I went on an international study tour with my college, Dubai Women's College, to Arizona.
While walking in the ASU's bookstore, I heard my friend calling I turned to see her and saw a very shocked look on her face. When I asked why she had that look she said, and these are her exact words:
"Can you believe this, the book that our college (in the UAE) gives the IT students, on computer programming, for free, costs $50! And the students throw it in the garbage at the end of each year!"
When I did my math I thought, "Well, each book costs $50, and there are about 100 IT students who get this book every year, each student gets a brand new book that she owns without buying and in the end throws it in the garbage!" Only one book, for one subject for 100 out of 2000 students costs the college $5000! How much does my country's government pay for every single school and university's books in the country?
That is when I started to think more about this subject, what I understood was that, the students in the US pay for every single book, pen, and copy book they use for school. That's why they take care of them and keep them for reference. Our students have everything given to them; their school and higher education books and education are free! All they pay for are the copy books and pens they use.
Another thing I noticed was if the students in the USA didn't continue their higher education, the chance they will get a job that pays well is less likely. In the United Arab Emirates, if a student graduates from high school and doesn't want to continue with his or her education, unless the student's dad is rich and the student works at the dad's office, the student will get a job and will be paid a fairly well salary because my country guaranties a job for every UAE resident.
Before the 3rd week of November 2003, I was a person who did not think twice of what my country has given me from classrooms and educational institutions, free books and education, to free special classes that otherwise cost thousands of dollars for me and my fellow students. But now, raising the awareness of the students who don't care and don't understand how precious what we have is, is a goal I am going to work toward.
If you have any comments, stories or questions you would like to ask the writer of this article, don't hesitate to write to s200121957@dwc.hct.ac.ae or budoor_alyousuf@hotmail.com.
