ONLY Bahraini teachers will be employed until 100 per cent Bahrainisation is achieved in government schools, it was declared.
Education Minister Dr Mohammed Mubarak Juma made the commitment in Parliament yesterday during a debate on plans to employ jobless Bahrainis with degrees in education disciplines.
He added that no more expatriates were being recruited and efforts were underway to replace those remaining with qualified Bahrainis.
Currently, 87 per cent of the total workforce in government schools is Bahraini.
“In the near future, public schools will have only Bahraini teachers. We have just terminated the contracts of around 1,200 expatriate teachers,” Dr Juma told MPs.
He pointed out that no retired Bahraini teacher had been re-hired.
“We have a balanced line-up of experienced and young teachers and plans are underway to offer jobs to fresh graduates from the Bahrain Teachers’ College,” he said, adding that the college would see a major expansion so that more Bahrainis could be admitted.
“We will have the number of annual recruits from the college increased by more than three-fold to reach 1,000 Bahraini teachers from the current 300.”
The minister said 18 new schools and 24 academic buildings are being planned in the next decade, and this would need Bahraini teachers.
Labour Minister Jameel Humaidan said many Bahrainis still sought university degrees though these days vocational certificates would get them better jobs with higher pay.
“Job fairs show that vocational jobs were available, but are being shunned by Bahrainis, but now Bahrain Polytechnic is expanding to take up vocational training as an actual university programme to get Bahrainis interested,” he said.
Meanwhile, Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain said the Bahrainisation drive in the public sector is progressing at a rapid pace with only 16 per cent of the workforce being expatriates.
He said that 6,979 foreigners were employed on temporary contracts out of a total workforce of 42,479.
The minister, who is politically responsible for the Civil Service Commission, said 88pc of the expatriate workforce were in health, education and higher education sectors.
He added that annual renewal of contracts for expatriates was dependent on the need and the unavailability of local talent.
The three ministers were also present to respond to nine questions earlier in the day on numerous government employment strategies.
Many jobless Bahrainis were present as observers during the weekly session.
MP Mohammed Al Olaiwi said many physical education university graduates remained jobless as expatriates are recruited in government and private schools.
“We have a young Bahraini graduate in physical education present here today who is jobless even three years after graduating, despite being a top competitor in a musical talent show,” he said.
“If he can’t be employed as a PE teacher then why not as a music or Quran recitation teacher; why is he still jobless?
“Being talented seems to be a curse in this country.”
Parliament second vice-chairman Ahmed Qarata said unemployment has remained a ticking bomb since the 1970s.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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