12 June 2013
Many teachers are complaining that school authorities have demanded they transfer their iqamas, but on the condition that they pay 50 percent of the renewal fees and half of the costs of their insurance packages.
Some school managers have requested their employees, including school drivers, maids and female teachers, to transfer their sponsorships to the school.
According to the rules decreed by the Saudi government, the sponsor is responsible for paying employees' iqama renewal fees and health insurance.
New labor laws stipulated by the Ministry of Labor demand that all businesses, including private and international schools, have a certain number of Saudi employees. In addition, they have also tightened the requirement that foreign workers should not be employed by anyone but their original sponsors.
Labor officials have made it clear that after the amnesty period they won't permit expatriate employees to work and may deport them if the workers fail to rectify their work status. Amenesty ends July 3.
"The school administration has asked staff members to transfer their iqamas to the school, yet they want us to pay 50 percent of the iqama renewal fees," said Sumaya Saleem, an English teacher working at an international school. "This is extremely unfair, as we should not be responsible for paying these expenses, especially given that we have not received a salary increase."
Another teacher said school managers have become increasingly business-minded and profit-oriented.
Despite obtaining permission from the Ministry of Education to raise school fees, educators dealing with increasing costs are still depriving teachers and school staff from their privileges.
"I work as a maid at an international school and recently the school management requested that I transfer my iqama to their sponsorship," said Soniya Musa, a Filipino national.
"The same request was made to the 30 other maids who work at the school and the drivers. How can we afford to cover half of the iqama renewal fees and the insurance when our salaries are only SR 800 per month. If they deduct money from my salary toward paying the iqama renewal fees what will be left of my salary."
She urged the Ministry of Labor and Education officials to look into these matters and monitor violations committed against expatriate employees.
Padma Hariharan, director and head of Novel International Group of Institutions denounced the manner in which some schools are dealing with the new labor laws.
"Employees should be given privileges and appropriate compensation, including insurance, airline tickets back home and employers should bear the costs of renewing their residence permits; otherwise there is no use of such a initiative if they have to pay from their own pockets," she said.
She also said that the Ministry of Education should set criteria for schools to adhere by standards in terms of staff payroll, quality of education, and facilities offered to students.
Many teachers are complaining that school authorities have demanded they transfer their iqamas, but on the condition that they pay 50 percent of the renewal fees and half of the costs of their insurance packages.
Some school managers have requested their employees, including school drivers, maids and female teachers, to transfer their sponsorships to the school.
According to the rules decreed by the Saudi government, the sponsor is responsible for paying employees' iqama renewal fees and health insurance.
New labor laws stipulated by the Ministry of Labor demand that all businesses, including private and international schools, have a certain number of Saudi employees. In addition, they have also tightened the requirement that foreign workers should not be employed by anyone but their original sponsors.
Labor officials have made it clear that after the amnesty period they won't permit expatriate employees to work and may deport them if the workers fail to rectify their work status. Amenesty ends July 3.
"The school administration has asked staff members to transfer their iqamas to the school, yet they want us to pay 50 percent of the iqama renewal fees," said Sumaya Saleem, an English teacher working at an international school. "This is extremely unfair, as we should not be responsible for paying these expenses, especially given that we have not received a salary increase."
Another teacher said school managers have become increasingly business-minded and profit-oriented.
Despite obtaining permission from the Ministry of Education to raise school fees, educators dealing with increasing costs are still depriving teachers and school staff from their privileges.
"I work as a maid at an international school and recently the school management requested that I transfer my iqama to their sponsorship," said Soniya Musa, a Filipino national.
"The same request was made to the 30 other maids who work at the school and the drivers. How can we afford to cover half of the iqama renewal fees and the insurance when our salaries are only SR 800 per month. If they deduct money from my salary toward paying the iqama renewal fees what will be left of my salary."
She urged the Ministry of Labor and Education officials to look into these matters and monitor violations committed against expatriate employees.
Padma Hariharan, director and head of Novel International Group of Institutions denounced the manner in which some schools are dealing with the new labor laws.
"Employees should be given privileges and appropriate compensation, including insurance, airline tickets back home and employers should bear the costs of renewing their residence permits; otherwise there is no use of such a initiative if they have to pay from their own pockets," she said.
She also said that the Ministry of Education should set criteria for schools to adhere by standards in terms of staff payroll, quality of education, and facilities offered to students.
© Arab News 2013
