Taiz: Over the past four weeks, thousands of male and female students in Taiz Governorate have enrolled in summer courses aimed at strengthening faith-based and national identity, and instilling the principles of Qur'anic culture as one of the most important educational and moral foundations for future generations.
According to Yemen News Agency, the summer courses include a wide range of activities and programs designed to instill moral values and deepen students' connection to the approach of the Holy Qur'an, its cultural and religious roots, becoming a 'weapon of knowledge and struggle' that serves as a strong shield against soft warfare and cultural alienation targeting youth.
These summer courses come amid strong support from the revolutionary and political leadership, local authorities, and mobilization efforts in the governorate. They represent a practical implementation of the Government of Change and Construction's program, highlighting their importance as indispensable educational incubators. They also make effective use of the summer break, transforming it into vibrant platforms for human development, identity building, and guiding youth energies toward creativity and excellence through knowledge and learning.
This year's summer courses have been distinguished by the diversity of their activities and programs, showcasing students' talents across scientific, cultural, educational, and religious fields. They also include agricultural, health, scouting, and recreational activities, all aimed at enhancing students' awareness, skills, and capabilities. These programs are led by specialized educational and training staff who provide a valuable learning experience through interactive methods and engaging approaches.
The Acting Governor and Head of the Subcommittee for Summer Activities and Courses, Ahmed Al-Masawi, affirmed in a statement to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) that summer courses serve as a 'factory' where the minds of future leaders are shaped, helping to confront the challenges facing the nation's youth as a result of the soft war waged by enemies. He described the summer courses as a gateway to a bright future, crafted by young people equipped with knowledge of the Holy Qur'an, adorned with values, ethics, and religious principles, setting out from their summer schools to lead the path of development.
Al-Masawi pointed out that summer schools are enlightening educational institutions that, through their programs, seek to transform free time into added value that contributes to refining students' talents across various fields. He noted that this type of education would help strengthen partnerships between families, schools, and official institutions, given its importance in easing the burden on families in guiding their children during the holiday, and ensuring the emergence of a productive generation with a forward-looking Qur'anic vision.
He further emphasized that summer courses hold promise in investing in young minds toward an ambitious national vision for male and female students, and represent a cornerstone in building a well-rounded faith-based character. They do not merely offer recreational activities but strive to instill good citizenship values and deepen attachment to national and religious identity. The Acting Governor added: 'These courses are intellectual and developmental incubators for generations at the table of the Holy Qur'an, where innate nature is set aright, and through which nations are built-nations that take pride in adhering to the Book of their Lord and the life of their Prophet. The Holy Qur'an is a way of life upon which awareness is built and from which values of dignity and honor are derived.'
He also affirmed that the success of summer courses is the result of a collective responsibility shared by all segments of society, adding: 'Teachers are the soldiers of the awareness front and bearers of the prophets' message in nurturing souls and shaping role models. Parents are responsible for protecting their children from the pitfalls of idleness and guiding them toward environments of guidance and insight. Scholars and elites are tasked with exposing the falsehood of enemy schemes and directing society toward intellectual fortification, while the media plays an important role in highlighting success stories.'
Meanwhile, the First Deputy Governor, Mohammed Al-Khalidi, noted that the strategic objectives of the summer courses are based on the Qur'anic vision, so that this educational stronghold contributes to building sound doctrine, instilling Qur'anic culture and the methodology of the pure Ahl al-Bayt in the hearts of youth, and strengthening cultural and political awareness by introducing young people to the real enemy and the nature of the schemes aimed at fragmenting and distorting the nation. He also emphasized making good use of time and filling it with what benefits in this life and the hereafter, based on the principle that 'time not filled with truth will be filled with falsehood.'
Al-Khalidi explained that producing leaders does not come through wasting time, but by preparing a generation that combines knowledge and action, carrying the banner of values in the face of challenges. The future of youth, he said, is being shaped today by the sacrifices of the martyrs who gave their lives in the fields of honor, dignity, and pride for the sake of the Yemeni people.
He affirmed that students enrolled in the summer courses are soldiers in the 'army of awareness,' and that every verse they memorize is a fortress of national and religious immunity. He called on all who care about their religion and homeland, saying: 'Do not leave your children prey to screens or bad company; instead, guide them toward the seas of knowledge and awareness in summer schools, for they are the most reliable investment in the nation's dignity and advancement.'
The First Deputy Governor added that summer courses are no less important than the military front, as they help build a generation intellectually, educationally, and morally fortified, enlightened by the culture, principles, guidance, and light of the Holy Qur'an-thus shaping a conscious individual. He stressed that learning and reflecting upon the Qur'an is 'the strongest protection for children against deviation,' providing the soul with a true compass to distinguish between truth and falsehood in a time when deception and misinformation are widespread.
For his part, the Director of the Sub-Department for Activities and Summer Courses, Mohammed Al-Abbadi, stated that the governorate has witnessed significant student engagement this year and an increase in the number of summer schools. The total number of open, model, and scout schools across the districts has reached 950, operating from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
He pointed out a qualitative addition represented by three closed schools, distributed in clusters across three districts: Al-Ta'izziah, Maqbanah, and Khadir, operating on a two-shift system (morning and evening).
Al-Abbadi added that the total number of male and female students enrolled in the courses across all sub-districts has reached 79,793, distributed among open, model, and scout schools, including 398 students in the closed schools in the three districts.
He also noted that this year has seen a noticeable diversification in activities, including the opening of a specialized scout school, as well as the involvement of various entities implementing qualitative programs in health, vocational life skills, and agricultural activities.
He pointed out that the Office of Communications and Information Technology will implement specialized awareness programs on mobile phone use and its harms on students. In addition, vocational programs will be delivered by technical institutes through field visits to model schools to introduce students to certain trades and skills that can help them become self-reliant in the future. This will be complemented by health courses focused on first aid and how to deal with emergencies.
The director of the sub-department also affirmed that this year's summer courses are receiving significant attention and active participation from the local authority and general mobilization in the governorate, as they are considered a national front for developing youth skills. He highlighted their effective role in strengthening religious principles among boys and girls amid the existential challenges facing identity and values due to what he described as US-Zionist aggression. These schools, he noted, have emerged not merely as a passing recreational activity, but as a project to save the nation and a strategic battle of awareness.
In conclusion, Al-Abbadi expressed his hope that parents and relevant authorities will continue to encourage their children during this period to make good and constructive use of the holiday, rather than wasting time without benefit.