As he did on March 31, the Algerian head of state, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, set the course by addressing the youth. The President of the Republic celebrated National Student Day yesterday, Sunday, May 19, alongside young people, at the Sidi Abdallah technology center. “ Without demagoguery, money is nothing when it comes to developing the country,” replied Tebboune to a student who asked him about the funding allocated to innovative projects initiated by recently graduated students, funds that he considers insufficient…
Support for academics is imperative to the extent that their action can lead to other sectors. “ All means are available or we will make them available (…). We are at your service, it is through your efforts that we serve the country,” assured President Tebboune to the students, teachers, and senior officials who were in the state-of-the-art conference room of the new university center of excellence inaugurated yesterday.
This time the Head of State did not dwell on the country’s economic prowess, as he did on May 1 and 8, he limited himself to insisting that 2027 will be ” a decisive year “, the year of the completion of digitalization and true industrialization, after ” industrial desertification ” which significantly reduced the place of industry in Algeria’s GDP, increasing it from 18% in the 1960s-1970s at 3 or 4%…
Furthermore, he reaffirmed, after the exit of the Minister of Finance, that the country’s GDP (gross domestic product) will explode in 2027, beyond 400 billion dollars. This will make Algeria “ an emerging country ”, and “ it is not even difficult ”, in the opinion of the president, who is betting on “ another Algeria where nothing is impossible ”. In this sense Tebboune undertakes to “ give everyone a first chance ” and “ not to let down a single Algerian ”.
He is committed to maintaining the State’s momentum in terms of housing, to further increase purchasing power, “ including housewives ”.
After a short speech, time for debate with young people, around their concerns. On the occasion, the President of the Republic magnified the trajectory of the Algerian university: 600 to 700 students in 1962, currently 1,650,000, 72,500 teachers, 115 universities and university centers, 30 research centers, and 2,250 researchers. He highlighted the results of the country’s universities, among the first in the Maghreb, the Arab world, and Africa…
Now we are heading towards “universality” and “excellence”. The technological center of Sidi Abdallah, nestled on the outskirts of Zeralda, in the west of Algiers, is one of the milestones of this new policy. The building is installed on a total area of 87 hectares, it includes a string of higher schools specializing in the most advanced technologies: artificial intelligence, nano-technologies, autonomous systems, mathematics, cybersecurity… The complex is named after the martyr Abdelhamid Ihaddaden.
“I am inaugurating with you a second wind for the Algerian university,” declared President Tebboune in front of the students. The latter submitted their grievances to him, he reiterated the desire of the public authorities to put themselves at the service of all, to listen to everyone, and to undertake nothing without involving those concerned. He illustrated his point by maintaining the LMD system or the return to the classical system, the reform of university works, etc. “Bring your proposals,” the president said to the students.
He also praised public policies in Algeria, which do a lot for students, much more than most countries, such as the prices of certain services (canteen, transport, etc.) which have not changed for several decades. But in return, he asks young people to respect the part of the moral contract that binds them to the homeland. Tebboune mentioned the case of medical students…
He lets them know that he is ready to respond favorably to their request for an increase in scholarships, but on one condition: that they do not go abroad as soon as they obtain their diplomas, while Algeria is hit by the massive exodus of its doctors. “The material aspect is important, but that’s not everything. Freedom of movement and travel is guaranteed but the country has priority,” asserted the President of the Republic.
On this subject, he wanted to recall the actions taken by the Shahid Mostefa Benboulaid, who sold his property to finance the Revolution.
