While the confusions regarding the regulations on hiring expatriate housewives as teachers in private schools prevail, Education Ministry yesterday stated that it had no role in the matter concerning appointment of teachers.

A spokesperson at the ministry’s Public Relations Directorate said that the ministry’s Private Education Directorate was preparing its detailed reply on the matter and informed DT that the role of the ministry was limited to following up and catering to curriculum related affairs.

“Our responsibility with respect to teachers and their appointments ends with the approval of the applications based on their qualifications. The rest of the regulations are based on the labour market rules of the Kingdom and hence governed by the Labour Ministry and Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA), ” said the spokesperson.

Stressing that the employer-employee relations and rules have nothing to do with the Education Ministry, the spokesperson added that the issues and concerns raised in Media reports on the subject was being studied by the ministry’s Private Education Directorate.

“The ministry will soon come up with clarifications on all queries and concerns, ” assured the spokesperson, as a response to reports that there was a major delay at the Education Ministry in approving the applications of teachers.

DT had yesterday reported that the LMRA has urged private schools to fix up the irregularities related to teachers’ work permits during the summer vacation as it would not hinder the educational process. LMRA chief Ausamah Al Absi had categorically stated that working without a permit was a violation of law that could to lead to the deportation of the individual.

The private schools in the Kingdom that cater to a large population of expatriate and citizen students, are not in a position to hire the entire number of teachers they require on the schools’ visas, due to heavy expenditure. They are also not in a position to hire local teachers for want of expertise.

Thus, the agreement is in place between the schools and the concerned ministries about qualified housewives to be hired on ‘work permits’ who could work as teachers. However, most of the schools have hired teachers and have their permits ‘under process, ’ which Mr Al Absi said, was not the ‘right procedure’ . He had stated that teachers should possess a copy of their work permit and schools should ensure that they secure it well before appointing them.