Legislators are calling for a waiver of fees for private school teachers applying for the mandatory Professional Development Programme required to obtain a teaching licence, or for the government to cover the cost as it does for public school educators.
The urgent proposal, submitted by five MPs led by Hanan Fardan, argues that the current system places an unfair financial burden on private school teachers, many of whom earn salaries close to the BD500 fee charged to enrol in the programme.
Private school teachers are required to complete the Professional Development Programme – partially subsidised by Tamkeen – as a prerequisite for obtaining a professional licence. Meanwhile, teachers employed by the Education Ministry receive the same training at no personal cost.
Ms Fardan said the disparity contradicts principles of fairness and equal opportunity.
“Why should a private school teacher pay BD500 for a programme that a public school teacher receives for free? These are educators performing the same mission, serving the same national education system,” she said.
She noted that several teachers were recently notified to pay the fee within a short time frame, adding to financial and administrative pressure.
“For some teachers, this fee equals or exceeds their monthly salary,” she claimed. “This is not a minor expense – it is a serious burden that can affect their professional stability.”
The explanatory memorandum attached to the proposal links the request to constitutional guarantees of equality and to the goals of Bahrain Vision 2030, which emphasises developing national talent and improving education standards.
Ms Fardan stressed that enabling teachers to upgrade their professional skills without financial strain directly supports the quality of education in the kingdom.
The MPs have proposed two solutions – either a full exemption from the fees or full government support to cover the cost. If that is not possible, they suggest a deferred payment model in which teachers only pay a nominal amount later – and only if they fail the programme – through an agreement with Tamkeen.
“Teachers are the backbone of our education system, regardless of where they work,” she said. “Supporting them is an investment in Bahrain’s future,” she added.
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