No Second Bachelor's Degree Without Prior Permission From Higher Education Ministry

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research stipulated that students wishing to wrap up their studies with a second bachelor’s degree must first secure the prior authorization from the Ministry of Higher Education starting from the academic year 2017-2018.

 Minister Tahar Hadjar’s instruction No. 1205, dated 13 September 2017, of which Echorouk got a copy and conveyed to the Directors of higher education institutions states:  “I inform you that concerning all applications for enrolment to prepare another graduate’s degree at the same stage and within the applicable legal period, this endeavor requires a prior authorization from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.”

The same document, signed on behalf of the Secretary-General of the Ministry, indicated that the registration of the relevant applications must be accompanied by the opinion of the Director of studies department and then referred to the General Directorate of Higher Education and Training for a final decision on the matter.

This new procedure was justified by the Ministry of Higher Education, as it registered a significant number of students who applied for registration in order to prepare for another graduate’s degree at different stages of higher education, either directly after completion of their studies or under the possession of another Baccalaureate diploma.

Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Tahar Hadjar said during a broad-based meeting with student organizations over the weekend that “overcrowding in the university rooms is normal for the university with every new academic year and this does not impede the smooth educational process of the students”. 

He added: “I do not think students live in single rooms within their own families, as many students are stuck in the big cities, especially in the capital where the problem is acute, stressing that on the contrary we have vacancies in many of the internal campus residences, as unfair distribution of students is the real reason behind such constraints”, as he put it.