President Saleh ordered to absorb 25 per cent of college students in governmental institutions on Monday, in a move that observes say aims to absorb the public rage amid protests sweeping across the region in the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution.

Saleh also gave orders including those to reconsider tuition fees of parallel education and to exempt the students from the remaining fees for the academic year 2010-2011, and an order asking the Supreme Universities Council to establish a college graduates' fund that should help graduates find jobs.

The order to reconsider parallel education fees comes to ease the burdens of the students and aims to implement the principle of equal opportunities, Saba said.

Furthermore, Saleh directed to expand the social security network and approve 500000 needy families in the light of the surveys by the special panel on this issue.

The government has recently announced an increase in the unemployment rate among the youth (15-24 years) from 52.2 per cent among males and 54.6 per cent among females in 2008 to an overall percentage of 54.7%.

Rallies have erupted in several Yemeni cities demanding complete changes in the aftermath of the revolution that ousted Tunisia's president earlier this month.

Protestors demanded the removal of President Saleh and condemned policies behind the current situation in the country.

At the beginning, small rallies started in the capital Sana'a organized by activists and students but riot police were deployed to Sana'a University to thwart rallies amid fears rallies could be bigger.

More recently, the Joint Meeting Parties, the opposition, has vowed to step up popular protest against the corrupt regime, holding rallies and demonstrations in several cities demanding comprehensive reforms and sometimes urging Saleh to quit.