MPs have urged for an improvement in English literacy standards in government schools, voicing concerns over students falling behind those privately educated.
Mohammed Al Abbasi raised the subject with Education Minister Dr Majid Al Nuaimi saying that young Bahrainis were acknowledged for winning competitions in science and mathematics but many were failing when it comes to the subject of English.
“Isn’t English the language of the world, so why can’t a government student after 12 years in school know even the basics?” asked Mr Al Abbasi.
Dr Al Nuaimi said the education sector would undergo a comprehensive overhaul this year. He said an international management consultancy based in Germany, Roland Berger, will complete its two-year comprehensive BD1.825 million review of Bahrain’s education sector on March 23.
Its recommendations are set to include developing early-years education, upgrading curricula, testing methodologies and grading systems, establishing a unified database, revamping the educational infrastructure and revamping the current structure of the Education Ministry and schools.
The ministry has also completed unifying criteria for education at kindergartens, upgrading curricula, determining proportions of teachers and students per classroom, as well as improving its digital educational database.
During the session, MP Mamdooh Al Saleh accused Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf of failing to employ enough Bahrainis, such as gardening and landscaping specialists.
“Bahrainis are dying to join your ministry and you get expats who are less qualified instead,” he claimed.
Mr Khalaf replied that 446 expatriate employees were hired on annual contracts costing the government BD17m over the past two years. However, foreign workers comprised only 17 per cent of the ministry’s total workforce.
“Expats’ budget covers wages, allowances, health, accommodation, airfare and transportation, besides expenses for bringing their families to the country,” said the minister.
“This is just 16.7 per cent of the total allocated budget for employees.”
He revealed plans to replace all expatriate workers with locals in the ministry.
“Since 2018 we have let go 48 expats and are working to replace all by 2024,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Masooma Abdulrahim claimed an alarming number of families were placing their children with disabilities in the Psychiatric Hospital for long-term care despite receiving financial state support to care for them at home.
“This needs to stop,” she said.
Health Minister and National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) board chairman Faeqa Al Saleh said 99 individuals suffering from mental disability were at the hospital and 1,124 patients had been offered services at outdoor clinics between 2018 and 2019. Seven doctors, 68 nurses and seven rehabilitation staff were in long-stay wards.
“One hundred patients are being offered other long-stay services at the Muharraq Long-stay Care Centre by two doctors, 130 nurses and six staff,” she added.
“The centre offers care to patients suffering from paralysis and physical disabilities.
“The Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo Community Medical Centre also offers care for people through two doctors, 53 nurses and five staff but was used in 2020 for Covid-19 purposes.”
In response to another MP, Ms Al Saleh said 34 alleged medical errors were reported from the Salmaniya Medical Complex to the NHRA from 2018 to October 2020 – 18 last year, 13 in 2019 and three in 2018.
© Copyright 2020 www.gdnonline.com
Copyright 2021 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
