Many international and private schools plan to legalize the status of women staff members before the start of the new academic year in September to avoid trouble with labor authorities.
The move by schools’ officials will also ensure that the education process goes on smoothly after end of the amnesty period.
A cross-section of expat women teachers working at Jeddah international and private schools said their employers had asked them to transfer their sponsorship to comply with labor laws.
Most teachers in girls’ schools are sponsored by their husbands or fathers and not their employers. Teachers are preparing to transfer their sponsorships to their employers.
Deputy Minister of Labor Mufarrej Al-Haqbani said the ministry would allow men and women dependents to work based on three criteria: They should be above 18, have stayed as dependents in the Kingdom for a minimum of one year and transfer their sponsorship to the firm where they want to work.
Regarding the transfer of the sponsorship of teachers and doctors, a Labor Ministry official had said that the employees should have the relevant academic and professional certificates. These should be authenticated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education for teachers and by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties for medics and paramedics.
Mohammed Shaffe, principal of the International Indian School-Dammam said: “We have received a circular from the Ministry of Education, which states that such dependents should have valid resident permit, must be qualified to do the job and their age should not exceed 60.”
Such workers should not enter into contracts with other employers and the qualification must match the subject they teach. They should also qualify in interviews to be conducted by the ministry and get their certificates attested by the Saudi Embassy.
“The number of violations in private schools is high since they were not in accordance with the new requirements issued by the ministry,” said Abdurrahman Al-Haqbani, head of the National Committee for Private Education at the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
“I was asked to transfer my sponsorship to my employer before the start of the new academic year,” said Huda Ramdan, an Egyptian teacher in a private school in Jeddah, told Arab News. “I am currently sponsored by my father. A number of my colleagues were also similarly asked to transfer their sponsorships to avoid any hassles from labor authorities once the amnesty period ends.”
Expatriate teachers to begin academic year legally
