Education services cannot be put on hold, even when budgets are stretched, MPs were told.
Education Minister Mohammed Mubarak Juma said the ministry’s role as a frontline service provider means urgent spending decisions are sometimes unavoidable.
“We are a service ministry with high operational demands,” Dr Juma told Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee.
“If there is a shortage in classrooms, teachers or essential educational services, we cannot delay action simply to defer expenditure.”
He explained that recruitment procedures for teachers, alongside emergency service needs, also contributed to exceeding the allocated expenditure ceiling, which was outlined in the National Audit Report last year.
Dr Juma reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to Bahrainisation, stressing that no non-Bahraini employees have been appointed since 2019.
“We have a clear and structured Bahrainisation plan in place,” he said. “Existing non-Bahraini contracts are being phased out gradually and replaced with qualified national talent.”
He acknowledged challenges in specialised fields such as cybersecurity, where employing Bahrainis with advanced certifications remains difficult due to market shortages.
On technology, the minister said it was no longer practical to maintain many outdated computer systems that had reached the end of their lifespan.
“The necessary approvals have been secured from the Finance and National Economy Ministry to replace obsolete devices,” he said. “Where equipment can be repaired, it will be renewed – but where it cannot, replacement is essential.”
He confirmed that recommendations regarding the inventory of electronic assets had been implemented through a dedicated system that now separates electronic assets from other inventory items for more accurate tracking.
The ministry was also among the first government entities to adopt cloud storage solutions and has a specialised risk management department operating in co-ordination with the Information and eGovernment Authority.
“Our electronic systems are fully prepared,” Dr Juma said. “Recent stress tests showed that around 83,000 students across the kingdom were able to use the systems simultaneously without disruption.”
Dr Juma revealed that “radical changes” are expected to impact the aviation sector in Bahrain, signalling future developments in specialised education and training.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that every student in Bahrain receives quality education supported by resilient systems and national expertise.”
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