No respite for teachers on family iqamas

May 12, 2013

iqamas

Jeddah, May 12: A majority of teachers employed in international schools and other places are under the sponsorship of their fathers and husbands. But they say they are unwilling to transfer their iqamas under the sponsorship of the schools they are working in.

According to the Ministry of Labor, housewives are not eligible to work as it is clearly stated as such on their residency permits. This is regardless of whether it is paid or unpaid employment. The Ministry of Labor has passed a ruling for all illegal employees to legalize their status within three months.

However, the ministries of Labor and Interior did not include in their long list of concessions in Friday’s announcement expats under the sponsorship of a relative, but working in schools. The Ministry of Education also has not issued any ruling.

Teachers and support staff remain in a state of flux as the government attempts to sort out their status. Yet school authorities have expressed concerns regarding the transferring of iqamas of female teachers.

First, teachers want a guarantee that they can transfer their iqama back to their father’s or husband’s sponsorship in the event of a termination of their own contract.

Secondly, if the male guardian loses his job (termination or resignation) he may be allowed to continue residing in the Kingdom on a “mahram” status since women need a male guardian to live in this country. Finally, they are demanding that the schools give workers family status should they decide to transfer their iqama to the school’s sponsorship.

Padma Hariharan, director and head of Novel International Group of Institutions, said they have 42 teachers in their school but only 5 percent agreed to transfer their iqama to the school. But even the workers who agreed to the iqama transfers have questions because the school authorities themselves have no idea of what their status would be and what benefits they are entitled to.

“We don’t know what papers are required for this,” Hariharan said. “We didn’t receive any rules and regulations from the Ministry of Education. So we would appreciate if we could have a general meeting with Ministry of Education or relevant authorities where we will be able to find out about the formalities, the time it will take to transfer the iqama and how much it will cost. Right now, we are being given different estimates of between SR 2,000 and SR 12,000.”

She also said that human resources departments could come up with a certain set of rules, which would define the status of both employees and their children. As the transfer of iqama to the school sponsorship does not offer a family status, children’s fees and other concerns should be dealt with.

“The decision of the Labor Ministry to legalize schools and teachers would solve many problems,” she said. “The speedy issuance of work permits to female employees would be a very wise decision. Otherwise, in the next term a number of schools will suffer as transfers also take time and the ministry hasn’t issued any rules unti now.”

Sadiya Kaleem, a principal at another school, said they have not received any information on the rules and regulations related to transfer of teachers’ status.

“A few of our teachers are ready for the transfer but they have their conditions, which have not been confirmed or made clear by the Ministry of Education, she said. “So we are waiting for the good news.”

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News Network
May 13,2020

Riyadh, May 13: Saudi Arabia’s cabinet on Tuesday urged oil-producing nations not only to adhere to agreed cuts to production, but further reduce output to help restore balance in global oil markets, state news agency SPA reported.

In issuing the call to OPEC+, which includes members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus Russia and other nations, ministers said the Kingdom is committed to supporting the stability of global oil markets.

After the meeting, acting Minister of Media Majed Al-Qasabi said that in addition to its commitment to the OPEC+ agreement, the Kingdom will voluntarily reduce output by an additional 1 million barrels a day in June. It will also try to implement additional cuts this month, with the consent of its customers, he added.

The cabinet said the Saudi initiatives aim to encourage other countries, whether they have signed up to the OPEC+ agreement or not, to adhere to its reduced rates and to cut output even further to help stabilize global oil markets.

During the cabinet meeting, which was conducted using video conferencing, King Salman also briefed ministers on his recent telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump. He said they affirmed the historical and strategic relationship between the two countries and their commitment to the continuation of joint efforts to enhance security and stability in the region.

Ministers were then updated on the latest developments in the corona virus crisis, including the steps being taken locally and internationally to control it and safeguard public health, the number of cases in the Kingdom and the care being provided to those who are infected. They also reviewed details of the active screening and testing programs in all parts of the country, which have helped to keep the number of deaths relatively low compared to global rates.

The cabinet praised the efforts being made by government officials to combat the pandemic, and stressed that citizens and expatriates must abide by the precautionary and preventive measures introduced to prevent the spread of the virus.

Ministers described the decision by Saudi Arabia to host the Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen 2020 on June 2 as an extension of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and development contribution, which reflects its pioneering role in supporting its neighbor.

The cabinet also welcomed the formation of the new government in Iraq and reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for the nation and its readiness to work with the new administration to strengthen relations and enhance security and stability in the region.

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News Network
July 13,2020

Dubai, July 13: An explosion caused by a gas leak damaged a restaurant, and nearby shops at a residential building in Dubai on Monday morning. 

According to Brigadier Abdul Haleem Al Hashemi, Deputy Director of Al Qusais Police Station, the incident took place at 4am when the restaurant was closed.

No injuries were reported, but two nearby shops, a pharmacy, a salon and three cars were severely damaged.

"Dubai Police patrols were immediately dispatched to the scene and worked with Dubai Civil Defense to evacuate residents of the two-storey building as a precautionary measure," Brig Al Hashimi explained.

Preliminary investigations showed that the blast was caused by a gas leak, the officer said. The Crime Scene Department of the General Department of Forensics and Criminology in Dubai is studying the evidence collected from the site and will be preparing the final report on the accident.

Brig Al Hashimi urged restaurant owners to ensure that all safety and security systems at their outlets are in good condition. Regular maintenance checks should also be conducted on all pipes and gas regulators, especially during the summer season.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Dubai, Jan 8: Iranian state television said on Wednesday that at least 80 "American terrorists" were killed in attacks involving 15 missiles Tehran launched on US targets in Iraq, adding that none of the missiles were intercepted.

State TV, citing a senior Revolutionary Guards source, also said Iran had 100 other targets in the region in its sights if Washington took any retaliatory measures. It also said US helicopters and military equipment were "severely damaged".

Iran launched missile attacks on US-led forces in Iraq in the early hours of Wednesday in retaliation for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.

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