Frontiers of Language and Teaching …...………………………. Volume 6 (2015) 102 The Impact of Political Parties and Regional Discrimination on the Quality of Education in Yemeni Universities Jameel Ahmed Elayah PhD Scholar, School of Languages, Literature and cultural studies, S.R.T.M. University, India Corresponding Author’s Email: aljameel2015@gmail.com Abstract This study investigates the practice of politics in Yemeni universities and its effects on the quality of education. It explores the university students’ as well as teaching and administrative staffs’ attitudes towards the students’ involvement in politics. A survey has been conducted through a well structured questionnaire among 70 respondents as well as 30 teaching and administrative staff, as interviewees, have been selected from different universities. The study finds out to what extent political parties and regional discrimination negatively influence the educational process in university. Some suggestions are presented in a form of messages to reduce the political interference in university’s educational mission and help create safe and clear educational environment away from politics. Keywords: Political party, Regional discrimination, Politicization of education Introduction Students’ involvement in politics is not a new phenomenon. Throughout history, students have actively participated in demonstrations, strikes, processions and media activities over national and global issues in many countries of the world. In the 19 th century, a large number of students took part in political activities in Germany, Russia and France. In India, the student unrest of 1905 led by Calcutta and Decca students to oppose the partition of Bengal marked the beginning of students’ involvement in agitations. The students’ activities in South Korea were effective in changing the iron regime of Syghman Rhee in 20 th century (Sharma & Sharma, 2004: 309). Involving students in politics sometimes plays a vital role in getting certain rights or exposing corruption. However, students can be exploited for the interest of certain political parties where political conflicts emerge to disrupt the educational process and divert it from its clear purpose. Various scholars have talked about the growing phenomenon of politicizing the educational systems. Rudolph and Rudolph (1972) referred to politicization of educational institutions as the appropriation of educational structures and resources and displacement of educational goals by organized political and community (religion, caste, and locality) interests. Zargar (2012) defined politicization of education as the manipulation of education for political interests. Politicians and their lackeys suffer from a supreme inability to see that the crisis in universities and other educational institutions really stems from political interference and from trying to manipulate academics for partisan political roles. There are a couple of opinions, which are not identical in many regards, towards the legitimacy of politics in students’ life. The first category of experts supports the idea of politicizing students. They believe that universities are not isolated islands cut off from the mainstream of political and social system; rather they are intimately connected with the body of politics. The other group of experts stands against the politicization of education. They opine that students should keep away from politics. To them the university is a haven of learning primarily and hence nothing should deter them from this goal.