Principals exploiting for more work hours: female teachers
‘MoE must clarify situation’
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 15: A number of female teachers said they are suffering from great pressure as some school principals are exploiting the teachers under their administration by obliging them to work during the morning shift until 1:00 pm and then return to school to conduct classes in the afternoon shift from
3:00pm to 5:00pm for the fourth and fifth grade students, reports Aljarida daily.
A group of teachers working in primary schools affiliated to the Capital Educational Zone, who requested anonymity in order to avoid accountability, explained that the school principals with whom they work obligate them to work in the morning and evening shifts, even though the ministry’s instructions oblige teachers to work in the morning during the official working hours.
Contrary to that, the principals obligate them to work in the morning as well as in evening shifts to conduct virtual classes from their schools. The primary education control monitors schools in the evening shift to ensure the presence of female teachers in their schools.
Making female teachers work both in the morning and evening shifts is against the Civil Service Law. It also leads to great fatigue and pressure on the female teachers, especially since they have familial obligations, and some of them have children who need follow-up in distance education.
The teachers stressed the need for the Ministry of Education to issue clear and explicit instructions that would prevent teachers from being required to attend evening hours inside schools and to allow them to perform classes from their homes, especially since all officials of the ministry have the powers to follow up and monitor classes through the program itself, which eliminates the need for a teacher to be present in the school.
Social assistance:
The Ministry of Social Affairs confirmed that the social assistance disbursed monthly is about KD22 million for 16 groups who are eligible for aid; indicating the minimum is KD255 while the maximum is KD1,200 monthly, reports Al-Shahid daily.
In a press statement, the ministry affirmed the Public Aid Law is one of the most important laws as it reflects Kuwait’s commitment to serve its citizens. The State grants social assistance to a number of segments in the society under the umbrella of the ministry which, in turn, provides assistance to eligible beneficiaries; in addition to overcoming obstacles they might be facing, the ministry added.
The ministry revealed the beneficiaries include the elderly, divorced women, widows, housewives, girls, orphans, the sick, those with financial problems, young people with material needs, families of students studying at home, families of students studying abroad, families of prisoners, released prisoners, the repentant, those incarcerated and those married to non-Kuwaitis.