A group of prominent Iraqi personalities in Egypt on Monday called on the Iraqi leadership to intervene in favor of hundreds of Iraqi students who are at risk of being kicked out of Egyptian schools and universities due to their failure to pay tuition fees. In a letter delivered to the Iraqi embassy in Cairo and Iraqi representative bureau to the Arab League, they urged the Iraqi president, prime minister and parliament's speaker to extend a helping hand to Iraqi students. They said Iraqi students are facing difficulties paying their fees for the current academic year, which could prevent them from continuing their education. "All Iraqis, wherever they are, have the right to enjoy the wealth of their rich country, especially when it comes to alleviating their human suffering," the letter said. The Arab League has also urged the Iraqi government to take a swift action to solve the problem. Ali al-Garoush, the Arab League official responsible for Iraqi issues at the said a fund earmarked for Iraqi students has already been exhausted, leaving the academic futures of 1600 students uncertain. Al-Garoush said 593 university students are in immediate need of US$2000 each to pay for their second-term fees, and another 1211 students at various stages of education need US$400 each. Thousands of Iraqi families fled to Egypt after a spate of sectarian incidents in 2006 and 2007, however most have returned to Iraq.
