The hashtag “#Egypt_scholars_for help” trended on Twitter for several hours yesterday, Sunday, to demand the appointment of master’s and doctoral holders in the state’s administrative apparatus and not to leave them without work.
The participants in the label called on the state to benefit from Egyptian scholars holding a master’s degree and doctorate, and to appoint them within the state’s administrative apparatus, similar to their peers who obtained jobs through competitions or other methods other than government employment.
Since 2015, master’s and doctoral holders have continued to claim their eligibility to be appointed, waiting for a government decision to grant them what they deserve after academic excellence and scientific theses in different disciplines that they did not benefit from, nor did the state.
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The master’s and doctoral holders made an appeal to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Susi, asking him to respond to their only demand and issue a decision to appoint them to the state’s administrative apparatus.
The participants in the label made it clear that they have one demand, which is to be appointed, similar to their fellow masters and doctoral holders appointed in the state’s administrative apparatus, stressing that they do not have any political demands and do not belong to any parties, movements or groups, but rather their main goal is to advance the Egyptian state.
The state rejects discrimination
For its part, the Central Agency for Organization and Administration, which is responsible for regulating the recruitment process in the administrative body, repeatedly denies the existence of a crisis between it and the master’s and doctoral holders against the background of the demand for their appointment in the state’s administrative body, pointing out that it does not have the authority to hire.
The agency explained – in a statement issued last March – that the Egyptian constitution included in the ninth and 14th articles the provision for achieving equal opportunities for all citizens without discrimination, and that public jobs are the right of citizens on the basis of competence and without mediation.
The agency added that the Civil Service Law specified the method of appointment to public jobs according to a law issued by the President of the Republic or whoever he delegates through a central announcement on the Egyptian government portal website, and it is through a test implemented by the central agency and a personal interview with a specialized committee.
Holders of master’s and doctoral degrees can follow the Egyptian government portal website and apply for any job, according to what is announced by the Central Agency for Organization and Administration.
years of struggle
Since 2015, master’s and doctorate holders have been fighting for their right to direct employment in the state’s administrative apparatus, and they have previously organized many vigils and protests, some of which have been subjected to security violence and forcible dispersal, and have carried out arrests and chases against campaign organizers.
In light of the security restrictions, they transferred their activities to social networking sites, and organized a number of campaigns, but they did not find a deaf ear from the government, despite the clear popular interaction with their demands.
Master’s and doctoral holders refuse to be subject to government-organized recruitment competitions, because they believe that they are characterized by a lack of transparency, nepotism and nepotism over selection processes, as well as giving priority to workers’ children.
The Administrative Court of the Presidency of the Republic in the State Council had issued a decision in September 2016 obligating the Central Agency for Organization and Administration to accept papers for the appointment of master’s and doctoral holders, and to nominate them for jobs that match their qualifications in preparation for their appointment, but the decision has not been implemented so far.
Despite the appointment of master’s and doctoral holders from 2002 to 2014, the appointments were suspended as soon as the Civil Service Law No. 81 of 2016.