Online education in Bahrain is set to stay

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Electronic education is set to play an essential role in the country’s future teaching delivery even when the Covid-19 crisis is over, legislators heard yesterday.

It comes as data and statistics presented by the Education Ministry to Parliament and the Shura Council highlights how online education has proved both efficient and cost effective.

The ministry also believes that textbooks should be fully digitalised as the education sector turns even more cyber friendly.

To enable the move, new curricula is set to be introduced at the Bahrain Teachers College with the continuation of advanced training programmes being offered to teachers under allocated financing.

DEBATE

Legislators came face-to-face with ministers and senior government officials yesterday to discuss the state budget with the debate set to continue today and next Wednesday.

The meetings follow Sunday’s agreed six-week deadline extension to allow spending plans to be discussed.

Members of both financial and economic affairs committees in Parliament and the Shura Council were present and the government was represented by Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain.

Also present yesterday were Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi, Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Wael Al Mubarak and Civil Service Bureau president Ahmed Al Zayed, alongside other leading officials.

Today, it will be the turn of the Labour and Social Development Ministry, the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry, and the Health Ministry to make their presentations.

Details surrounding next Wednesday’s meeting have still to be announced.

“The provision of electronic education will continue even when Covid-19 is over,” said Shura financial and economic affairs committee chairman Khalid Al Maskati.

“The ministry will now work towards the digitalisation of books and educational materials, turning the education sector cyber, developing curricula at the Bahrain Teachers College and giving current teachers advanced training.”

In a separate discussion, Mr Al Maskati revealed that the government was continuing to work on reducing production and operational costs of electricity and water ... without the move affecting subsidies offered to Bahraini households.

“There will be a move towards cheaper energy like renewable power with less spending on production and operations, as well as improved collection initiatives,” he said.

“Subsidies are set to continue for Bahraini households, shouldered by the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) even if there is no further government support to the sector, with spending and revenues reaching equilibrium this year.”

Mr Al Maskati said the challenges created by Covid-19 had made it necessary to lower costs while directing social welfare to those ‘most in need’.

EXPENDITURE

Parliament financial and economic affairs committee chairman Mahmood Al Bahrani said the government would be supported with announced effective plans to cut unnecessary expenditure, as long as social welfare remains intact.

“We still need details on manpower spending in ministries and government bodies and ways of getting more Bahrainis employed there while reducing the dependence on expats,” he said.

“The government is introducing new ideas on how to save money, effective policies, but more details are required. This needs to come without a single fils being stopped or dropped from social welfare.”

Revenues are expected at BD2.285 billion this year and BD2.339bn next year with the oil barrel price calculated at $45. Recurrent expenditure is estimated at BD3.296bn this year and BD3.219bn next year. The spending budget for projects is BD656 million for each year, including financing from the Gulf Development Fund.

The deficit, without interest calculation, is expected to reduce by BD568m this year and BD388m next year. The total deficit is BD1.276bn for this year and BD1.145bn next year.

mohammed@gdn.com.bh

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