A fresh campaign has been launched to establish a branch of Bahrain University in Muharraq, with municipal councillors arguing that thousands of students would benefit from having higher education facilities closer to home.
The proposal, led by Muharraq Municipal Council services and public utilities committee chairman Abdulqader Al Sayed, has secured unanimous support within the council and calls for a suitable site in the governorate to be allocated for academic facilities affiliated with the university.
The initiative comes despite previous government responses indicating that establishing a Bahrain University branch outside its main campus in Sakhir would be educationally challenging.
In an internal memorandum submitted to the council, Mr Al Sayed said Muharraq’s high population density and growing number of secondary school graduates justified revisiting the proposal.
He said many students face lengthy daily commutes to Sakhir, increasing travel time, costs and inconvenience.
“Muharraq has one of the largest concentrations of students in the kingdom and they deserve easier access to higher education,” Mr Al Sayed said during the council’s general-secretariat meeting.
“Our proposal is not simply about constructing a building. It is about creating educational opportunities, reducing the burden on students and families, and encouraging more young Bahrainis to pursue university studies.”
He added that a campus or academic facilities in Muharraq would support the governorate’s continued development while easing pressure on transport networks.
Mr Buhazaa
Council vice-chairman Saleh Buhazaa said the proposal reflected the aspirations of residents.
“Education is one of the most important investments any country can make,” he said.
“A Bahrain University presence in Muharraq would serve thousands of students and complement the governorate’s growing residential communities. We hope the relevant authorities will give the proposal serious consideration.”
The renewed campaign follows the opening last year of a Bahrain Polytechnic branch in Dilmunia by Education Minister Dr Mohammed Mubarak Juma, who also chairs the Higher Education Council, Bahrain University’s board and Bahrain Polytechnic.
Councillors believe the successful expansion of Bahrain Polytechnic demonstrates that higher education services can be extended beyond their traditional campuses when demand exists.
Bahrain University is the kingdom’s largest public university, with around 30,000 students enrolled across a wide range of academic programmes.
Established in 1986 through the merger of two higher education institutions, it offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across numerous disciplines. Its main campus is in Sakhir with additional facilities in Isa Town.
A response to the latest proposal is awaited from Dr Juma, who will determine whether the request can move to the next stage of evaluation.
mohammed@gdnmedia
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