SAUDI ARABIA: Biochemistry students 'neglected'

Biochemistry students at Saudi universities complain that they are neglected by the ministries of higher education, health and labour, which do not recognise the significance of their branch of study for the country's development, writes Joud Al-Amri for Arab News.

"We had big dreams of serving our country through this important and rare specialisation. We planned for future studies and research works that would qualify us for international prizes. But we discovered that it was impossible to realise our dreams inside our country. Some of us started to look to other countries, where they would be appreciated," said a biochemistry graduate who did not want his name published.

Graduates of biochemistry colleges at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and King Saud University in Riyadh have the same complaint: negligence and lack of recognition. They said they could not find jobs, and if they did at all, they would be treated as technicians, not specialists. "This adds to our misery and trauma," one of them said.
Full report on the Arab News site


Comment:

Biochemistry graduates are neither chemists nor biologists. It is true that they are treated as technicians only throughout the world. Industries will not offer them jobs. It is advisable that students should always study biochemistry as one of the subjects in the chemistry major.

Prof T.K.Raja