The issue of employing Bahraini teachers remains a focal point of discussion in Parliament, with renewed calls from MPs urging private schools to absorb qualified Bahrainis in the education sector. This comes after the Education Ministry clarified its limited capacity to accommodate additional numbers in public schools.
Recently, the Shura Council’s services committee discussed a draft law to amend certain provisions of Decree Law No 25 of 1998 concerning private educational and training institutions. This draft is based on a proposal submitted by the MPs.
According to the memorandum from the Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission, the draft law aims to prioritise the employment of qualified Bahrainis in educational roles – especially in light of the growing number of graduates and the Education Ministry’s inability to absorb them all, due to the mismatch between the ministry’s capacity and the volume of job-seekers. This necessitates a legislative solution that involves private educational institutions.
While the importance of this proposal is clear in principle, the undeniable truth is that this issue has already been heavily debated and repeatedly raised – yet we have seen little to no tangible outcomes. We have a large number of highly qualified Bahrainis in the field of education, including graduates of the Teachers’ College and holders of advanced degrees. Yet, the overwhelming majority of teaching positions in private schools continue to be filled by expatriate labour.
The problem is not only the lack of job opportunities, but more crucially, the absence of a serious will to implement the ‘Bahrainis First’ principle in practice – not just as a slogan featured in official statements or media releases.
Moreover, this is not an issue exclusive to the education sector – it reflects a deeper crisis of rising unemployment among citizens across various sectors, even as we witness an abundance of foreign labour.
We are not calling for the exclusion of others; we are simply calling for fairness to the Bahraini citizen. How can a Bahraini graduate with a university degree in education – perhaps even with years of experience – remain unemployed, while a foreigner occupies that same position in a private school on our own soil?
What is needed now is decisive intervention from the relevant authorities – ministries and regulatory bodies – to establish clear standards that obligate private schools to hire a specific percentage of Bahraini nationals, and to link licensing and government support to their level of compliance.
The talk of sustainable human development cannot be credible unless citizens are empowered in the job market – especially in vital sectors like education, where not only knowledge is transmitted, but also values, culture, identity and citizenship. It is only fitting that such a responsibility be entrusted to the sons and daughters of this nation.
Much more can be said on this issue, but in my view, a permanent and definitive solution must be established for what has become one of the most pressing challenges facing the state in its pursuit of national goals.
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