CAIRO: Female students hailing from different governorates fell victim to decisions taken by the Ministry of Higher Education pertaining to the H1N1 virus, the full face veil (niqab) and final grades. A large number of students were barred from entering the universities' dorms in Cairo this year due to precautionary measures against H1N1, for the niqab or for earning an average grade of 'Good.' Last week, the students called on university officials to amend the decisions in question, while at the same time looking for alternative housing. According to students at Cairo University, housing priority is generally given to students according to their grades. Students with average grades of 'Excellent' were given housing on Saturday, followed by students with average grades of 'Very Good' and 'Good.' Because the number of students per room was reduced from six to four student based on university administration regulations, a large number of students with an average grade of 'Good' were excluded. Moreover, students wearing the niqab were banned from entering the dorms due to campus security measures. Students pay LE 230 at the start of the academic year, and a monthly rent fee of LE 70. Students with no housing complain that they were given no prior notice to be able to find alternative housing. They also explained the difficulties of finding available apartments for rent after the academic year has started, adding that most of them will not be able to afford the apartments' rent, which ranges between LE 1,000-2,000. "We have been coming everyday for a week to try and convince officials at the dorms [to give us rooms] and at the same time we are looking for apartments, but to no avail, Mahmoud Farid, a veterinary student's father, said. His daughter, Faten, said average grades should not be a factor when it comes to housing because some faculties are more difficult that others. Hayam Ali, another veterinary student, said attendance is obligatory in some faculties and optional in others. "Despite the rent fees, our parents are not going to be happy with us living in apartments, Sarah Abdel Rahman, 20, said, "they sent us to study in Cairo knowing that we are going to be staying at the university dorms under the government's supervision, but now the government abandoned us. While some students resorted to staying with relatives in Cairo, others make the commute between the university and their governorate on a daily basis, which might take up to three hours.
