Criminology graduates burn certificates at JUST

AMMAN — A number of criminology graduates from the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) on Wednesday burned their certificates on campus to highlight the lack of jobs in their field.

The protesters graduated some three years ago but have since been unable to find jobs, according to criminology graduate Mahmoud Jumaa.

“The university introduced this programme without considering... opportunities in the market,” he told The Jordan Times.

JUST Vice President Ahmed Elbetieha said the university is working to secure jobs for the graduates in their field.

“It just takes time” to coordinate with all the involved parties at once, he told The Jordan Times. 

The JUST administration froze admission into the criminology programme last year, according to Elbetieha. 

“The major was offered as an option when we did our research and saw which jobs were popular in the market, but an unexpected change happened and job opportunities in criminology are not available in Jordan as much,” he said. 

“The number of graduates doesn’t exceed 400. But we are working on a plan with the Ministry of Education to provide the graduates with jobs as schoolteachers,” the university official added.

Jumaa charged that the Ramtha-based university is not coordinating enough with the Ministry of Higher Education, the Public Security Department, and forensic laboratories.

“Even when we apply for jobs in hospitals, we cannot work there since we don’t have a licence to practise the profession,” he said.

Jumaa, who graduated four years ago, said he could not find a job so he decided to continue his post-graduate studies in applied biology.

JUST offered students the option of changing the major due to the lack of jobs in their field, he added.

“Many people have studied criminology but now work in completely different fields, like marketing and sales,” Jumaa noted.

Baker Nassar, who graduated in 2013, said the students are only asking for a licence to practise their profession.

According to Nassar, JUST administration advised students to apply for jobs in the Gulf. 

“Companies in the Gulf also require someone with a licence and some years of experience,” he said.

“The option of changing our majors was only given in 2014, by which time almost 150 students were done with their BA in criminology,” the 27-year-old said. 

“Burning our certificates was not an easy thing to do, especially when it’s an effort of four years, but it is to show the university and the government that we are fed up.”