Gudrat Hasanguliyev, Chairman of the Justice, Law, Democracy (AHD) Party and Member of Parliament, answered questions from the party’s press service.
Xalqcəbhəsi.az presents the interview:
– Gudrat bey, we would like to know your thoughts on the 4th Global Media Forum held in Shusha…
– The President’s participation in the Forum turns it into a major political event. The high-level organization of the Forum and the resonance it created on an international scale should be duly appreciated. The Forum once again demonstrated Azerbaijan’s importance and the role it plays in ensuring regional stability.
– Gudrat bey, the 2025-26 academic year has ended, a new school year is beginning, and the issue of employment for university graduates and the provision of education loans are serious topics of discussion in society. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this as well…
– First of all, I congratulate the young people who have graduated from colleges and higher education institutions and wish them success in their future endeavors.
Unfortunately, many graduates have difficulty finding jobs that require high qualifications and pay enough to ensure a decent life. Educational institutions should cooperate with enterprises and companies operating in the production and service sectors and help their graduates find jobs. Young people account for 28.2% of the registered unemployed in the country. According to Article 35, Clause 8 of the Constitution, titled “Right to work,” the state must use all means to eliminate unemployment. Young people with higher education should not work as shop assistants; the state must expand economic reforms to create high-skilled jobs.
At the same time, I congratulate our young people who have been admitted to universities this year. In 2025, 57,236 young people were admitted, and 29,280 of them gained the right to study on a paid basis. I must note with regret that education loans are not accessible to all students. For this reason, in 2025, up to 13,000 students, including 6,122 at the bachelor’s level and 1,897 at the master’s level, were expelled from educational institutions because they could not pay their tuition fees. Unfortunately, the number of those who were not admitted simply because they chose non-paid spots is not disclosed separately by the SEC (State Examination Center). Currently, to receive a standard education loan, a student’s “general average success indicator” must be above 71 points, and 20% of the annual tuition fee must be paid. I believe we should add to the “Law on Education” that any student who submits an admission document should have the opportunity to receive an education loan.
Unfortunately, our country is rated at a medium to low-medium level in international indices regarding the level of philanthropy. Everyone in our country—religious figures, intellectuals, NGOs, and the media—should talk about the virtues of charity and support for education, and promote the idea that our country’s happy future depends on this. According to Article 38, Clause 5 of the Constitution, the state must create opportunities for the development of charitable activities.
Today, in Western countries, individual private companies allocate billions of funds to scientific research. Universities should appeal to entrepreneurs and ask them to support the payment of tuition fees for underprivileged students. Students should not hesitate to choose paid specialties. Not a single young person should stop their education because they cannot pay their tuition fees. The government should conduct admissions to universities and colleges based on high school graduation exams, thereby putting an end to tutoring, and ensure that graduation exams for colleges and universities are conducted by the SEC through testing.