The Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Damascus University, Ibrahim al-Adi, called for family compensation to be a percentage of the salary and not a fixed amount, in light of the confusion caused by lifting subsidies without a clear vision.
He estimated that the salary of the highest university professor in Syria is the lowest in the world and is four times lower than the salary of a university professor in Yemen. He stressed that the policy of not increasing salaries to avoid inflation is misguided.
Adi suggested that family compensation for a wife should be 10-15% of the salary, and for each child, it should be 5-10%. For instance, if a university professor’s salary is 600,000 Syrian pounds, the family compensation for the wife would be 60,000 Syrian pounds (at 10%) and 30,000 Syrian pounds for each child (at 5%). This would be an increase of two thousand percent over the current compensation. Adi expressed surprise at the current state of family compensation in Syria.
He emphasized that salaries should be increased every six months by 100% to keep pace with market prices, pointing out that the salary represents the price of work. He noted that working in the government sector is cheaper due to the stability of salaries, while wages in the private sector, self-employment, and craftsmanship reflect market prices. Merchants’ profits have increased since 2011 because they adjust to inflation.
Adi argued that prices should not rise by 5,000% while salaries only increase by 100 or 200%. He criticized the economic team’s policies over the past years, noting that the dollar exchange rate was 800 pounds when the team began their work, and it is now 15,000 pounds.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
