68pc students admitted

MUSCAT — Dr Rawya bint Saud al Busaidiya, Minister of Higher Education, said that higher education institutions have admitted 68.2 per cent of the successful applicants who met study requirements for the academic year 2011-2012.

Dr Rawya said in a press statement here yesterday that 27,916 of the 40,922 of the applicants who met the requirements were admitted in the Sultanate’s 59 higher education institutions, of which 33 are governmental and 26 in the private sector.

The institutions

provide 28,400 opportunities as of the academic year 2011/2012.

Speaking in detail, the minister said that the number of those admitted as of January 11, 2012, as per the data of the e-admission system for the academic year 2011/2012 stood at 27,916.

The higher education sector in the Sultanate has made steady and rapid strides as it derives insight from the objectives outlined by the government of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, said Dr Rawya, noting that the government considers higher education as the main factor in the nationbuilding process and ensuring a prestigious status for the Sultanate and its citizens among countries of the world.

Dr Rawya added that, thanks to the wise directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, admission rate growth in the academic year 2011/2012 rose by 63.2 per cent, compared to the previous academic year. His Majesty the Sultan had issued orders to increase the admission capacity of higher education institutions, as well as to expand the volume of scholarships. — ONA