A legislation seeking to prioritise the employment of Bahrainis in private educational and training institutions was unanimously rejected by the Shura Council yesterday on the grounds of redundancy.
Members returned the bill to Parliament for reconsideration following an extensive legal and statistical review.
The decision came during the weekly session which was attended by Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf.
The legislation, originally proposed by MPs, aimed to amend provisions of Decree-Law No (25) of 1998 on Private Educational and Training Institutions to grant priority to qualified Bahrainis for teaching posts in the private sector.
However, services committee rapporteur Dr Ali Al Haddad told members that the legal foundation of the proposal had effectively lapsed.
“During the committee’s study of the draft law, Law No (4) of 2026 on Private Educational Institutions was issued on January 28,” said Dr Al Haddad.
Dr Al Haddad
“Article Five of the promulgation provisions explicitly repealed the clauses relating to private educational institutions in the 1998 decree-law, as well as any text that contradicts the new law.”
He explained that the amendment was therefore directed at provisions that are no longer in force with regard to private schools.
Dr Al Haddad further highlighted official figures presented by the Labour and Legal Affairs Ministry and said it revealed that the core objective of the proposal had already been achieved.
“The Bahrainisation rate among licensed trainers in private training institutions reached 93.12 per cent in 2024, while the rate among licensed instructors stood at 74pc,” he said.
“These figures indicate that the goal of enhancing employment opportunities for qualified Bahrainis is already being realised through existing policies and regulatory frameworks.”
Services committee chairwoman Dr Jameela Al Salman echoed this assessment, noting that the committee conducted a comprehensive review of legal memoranda and stakeholder feedback.
“The data reflects tangible progress,” she said.
“There is clear statistical evidence that Bahrainis are already well represented in the private education and training sector without the need for additional legislative amendments.”
Legislative and legal affairs committee chairwoman Dalal Al Zayed highlighted the role of government support mechanisms in achieving high Bahrainisation levels.
Ms Al Zayed
“Tamkeen today allocates dedicated budgets to support the wages of Bahrainis,” she said. “This mechanism has directly contributed to raising employment rates among Bahrainis in private educational and training institutions, whether as trainers, teachers or administrators.”
Ms Al Zayed added that even institutions relying on specialised language teachers have made significant progress.
“The increase in employment did not happen by coincidence,” she said. “It came as a result of structured government programmes that measure impact and ensure continuity of employment even after five years of wage support.”
Following a debate, the council voted against the draft law, concluding that its objectives were already being achieved through current legislation and labour market policies.
The proposal has now been returned to Parliament for a second review and vote.
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