شداد بھائی کے لئے
Meanwhile, a number of private schools across the Kingdom announced holidays on one pretext or the other as many teachers and drivers are not under the sponsorship of schools where they work. A private school teacher said that the fear of being caught and deported has stopped them from going to work.
“We regret to inform that because of a major electrical maintenance work, the school will remain closed until further notice.” This was a common text message sent by many of the private schools to the guardians of students.
Some private schools assured their staff of all protection while others told the teaching and non-teaching staff not to report for work. A popular private school in Jeddah reportedly bundled out its teaching staff through the back door when the school guard triggered panic about an impending raid.
Principals of some of the private schools told Saudi Gazette that they had to close schools because the pre-school teachers who are under their husbands’ sponsorships did not report for work fearing punitive action by the Labor Ministry.
Indian Embassy schools are reopening Monday after a two-week break. However, school and embassy officials allayed any fears about inspections or school closure.
“I don’t think there will be any problem,” Surendra Bhagat, Second Secretary, Political and Information at the Indian Embassy, told Saudi Gazette.
He said Indian Embassy schools have a different status so there is no need for panic. “If there are any issues, we will resolve it with the Saudi authorities,” he added.
But there were rumors Sunday about Labor Ministry inspectors visiting the Pakistan Embassy school in Jeddah. School and consulate officials, however, categorically denied any such report.
As the panic of possible exodus due to Nitaqat implementation subsides back home, most of the Indian international schools in Jeddah are racing against time to complete legalizing the status of their staffers, including bus drivers, before reopening of schools for the new academic year.
All schools have stepped up procedures to hire as many Saudi teachers and administration staff as possible. At the same time, some school authorities have expressed their apprehensions that a sizable number of teachers, whose procedures of transferring sponsorship are yet to be completed, would fail to show up when the schools reopen.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, some principals said that they have almost completed the norms and conditions set by the Ministry of Education. Prof. M. Abdul Ali, principal of Al-Noor International School, said that the school has changed its status to green category after completing all the procedures. “We have hired nearly one and a half dozens of Saudi staffers, besides hiring teachers under the school’s sponsorship,” he said, adding that the Nitaqat drive would not affect those living in the Kingdom legally.
Dr. Padma Hariharan, of Novel International School, said that the school has employed eight Saudi teachers and took other measures so as to fulfill the ministry’s regulations. She said that some schools had hired earlier highly qualified housewives of expatriates as teachers and provided them with intensive training. “These schools are not in a position to complete the transfer of the teachers to their sponsorship. Some of these teachers might not report to duty and this could jeopardize the schools’ functioning,” Hariharan said while pointing out that her school has made no fee hike while some of the schools increased fees exorbitantly for the next academic year.
An administrative officer of a famous international school told Saudi Gazette that they have stepped up procedures to transfer sponsorship of some teachers and drivers and have already issued letters to their sponsors. Many schools are facing the problem of hiring qualified teachers from India because of the high pay and other allowances they are receiving there. — With input from Fatima Muhammad, Hassan Cherruppa and S. Athar H. Rizvi
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