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Al-Atarib: Academic Identity Fraud Sparks Crisis in Aleppo Governorate Appointments
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The spread of favoritism and dubious appointments reflects a lack of transparency in institutional management, undermining public trust and weakening officials' credibility in the eyes of public opini
Professor of Political Science and Dean of the Faculty at Al-Zaytouna International University in Azaz, Abdulqadir Nana, described an administrative decision issued by the Aleppo Governorate as "administrative chaos." His statement referred to the appointment of Farhan Aqeel Al-Kuwaidar as the official in charge of the Al-Atarib area in the western countryside of the governorate.
These appointments raise fundamental questions about the criteria for selecting officials in administrative areas and the mechanisms for verifying their academic qualifications.
Nana directed his criticism at the identification card attached to the appointment decision, which stated that Kuwaidar held a bachelor's degree in political science from Al-Zaytouna University since 2023. However, the dean confirmed that the university's first graduating class would not be before 2026 and that the mentioned individual's name did not appear in the student lists for the past three years.
Following the publication of his explanatory post, Nana announced his resignation from the university in a subsequent post, without providing a clear explanation for the reasons behind his decision. This sparked mixed speculations about the motives and timing of his resignation.
It is noteworthy that the Aleppo Governorate retracted the original identification card and issued a revised version, where the official's academic qualification was now stated as: "studied political science," without specifying the university he attended—an apparent attempt to mitigate the embarrassing situation.
This quick retraction highlights a flaw in the procedures for verifying the academic qualifications of candidates for administrative positions.
Comments on social media criticized this type of appointment, with some users pointing out that the newly appointed official had previously taken the baccalaureate exam and failed. They questioned the selection criteria for officials and demanded appointments based on real competence and qualifications, rather than favoritism and personal connections.
The growing public awareness of the importance of transparency in appointments is increasing pressure on decision-makers to adopt genuine reforms in this domain.
