Egyptian Engineers Syndicate: Accepting Students with Low Scores Threatens the Profession

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The Egyptian Engineers Syndicate has entered the fray regarding the minimum admission thresholds for private colleges, announcing its rejection of lowering the minimum requirement for admission to engineering colleges, which has reached about 67% this year.

The Syndicate's position came after similar objections raised by the Doctors Syndicate regarding the admission of students with low scores in some private medical colleges, amid concerns about the impact on the quality of education and the level of graduates.

In this context, the Syndicate's head, Mohamed Abdel Ghani, confirmed that allowing admission to engineering colleges with low grade levels poses a significant risk, pointing out that studying engineering is not just about obtaining a university degree, but is related to preparing professionals who will take on future responsibilities that affect the safety of citizens and a large volume of investments and projects.

Abdel Ghani explained in statements to "Al Arabiya.net/Al Hadath.net" that many countries impose high standards for admission to engineering specialties and do not allow admission unless high levels are achieved in mathematics and qualifying subjects, noting that some educational systems require students to obtain more than 75% in those subjects.

He emphasized the necessity of considering the principle of equal opportunities when formulating admission policies for engineering education, explaining that allowing admission to engineering colleges for students with lower scores, amid rising tuition fees, may deprive some outstanding students of the opportunity to study engineering due to their financial inability, while other students with lower grades can enroll in the same specialization.

He also added that the issue is not only related to the student's level but also to its potential impacts on society and the labor market, given the significant responsibilities that an engineer bears after graduation.

The head of the engineers' syndicate warned that any engineering error could have serious consequences, which in some cases could lead to loss of life, necessitating the assurance that accepted students possess the necessary scientific capabilities to comprehend the studies and the requirements of the profession.

He also confirmed that the aim of demanding higher admission standards is not to impose restrictions on students, but rather to ensure that those capable of studying engineering sciences and bearing future professional responsibilities are admitted, thus maintaining the quality of the profession and the safety of society.

He also called for starting, as of next year, to more effectively reduce the number of students admitted to engineering colleges, while narrowing the gap between the minimum admission scores for public and private colleges to no more than 5%. He considered that this step would achieve a balance between the quality of graduates and the needs of the labor market, and maintain the level of the profession.

On his part, Tamer Shawky, a professor of educational psychology at the Faculty of Education at Ain Shams University, believes that setting a high minimum acceptance threshold for engineering colleges should be the basic rule, while maintaining a limited difference of no more than 5% between public, private, and national universities.

Shawky explained to "Al Arabiya.net/Al Hadath.net" that the nature of engineering studies requires students to possess high scientific and intellectual abilities that enable them to comprehend various engineering courses and specializations, pointing out that accepting students with low scores raises questions about equal opportunities, especially in light of the disparity in the ability to bear the costs of education.

He also added that lowering the minimum acceptance threshold may negatively impact the quality of university education, as engineering specializations are characterized by complexity and diversity, which necessitates an appropriate level of academic preparedness among students.

He concluded by emphasizing that the importance of setting precise admission criteria is not only related to the student's academic performance but also to the nature of the profession itself, as engineers, after graduation, deal with fields and projects that directly affect the lives of citizens, which makes the quality of selecting and qualifying students a fundamental issue to maintain the level of educational and professional outputs.