Azernews.Az

BAKU – The process of student admission in Azerbaijan is corrupt, a lawmaker said in parliament Tuesday.

Fazayil Aghamali, the chairman of pro-government Ana Vatan party, charged that it costs 100,000 to 150,000 manats (up to $190,000) to be admitted to the Baku State University or the Medical University.

"The money received from 700 to 800 additional students per year amounts to millions. In order to put an end to bribery in the area of student admission, drastic reforms should be carried out in the State Commission on Student Admission (SCSA)."

Aghamali believes that SCSA chair Maleyka Abbaszada, instead of resolving problems facing the country’s education system, is misleading the public with her statements.

"The SCSA chair is talking about the illiteracy of secondary school graduates, but how those illiterates are admitted to higher schools is something that raises doubt," Aghamali said.

The SCSA has dismissed the lawmaker’s statement, with its spokesman, Elnur Naghizada, calling it baseless.

"The exams for admission to higher and vocational schools conducted by the SCSA are transparent, and everyone knows that knowledge is the main criterion in these exams," Naghizada said.