Kuwaiti employees can take leave of absence for three yrs

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KUWAIT CITY, Oct 15: Decisions approved by Civil Service Commission (CSC) allowing Kuwaiti employees to take sabbatical of three years to manage their small and medium enterprises, and the reduction of housing allowances for expatriate teachers from KD 150 to KD 60 have worsened the crises of Ministry of Education, over and above shortage it already suffers due to requests for early retirement.

Education officials told the daily the decision of reducing housing allowances aggrieves expatriate teachers and worsens their financial burden, which forces them to look for extra sources of sustenance and means of covering financial liabilities that continue to intensify amid high rent and cost of living.

An official who preferred anonymity explained that the decision will open the door wide for high tuition fees and significant shortage of teachers, especially as many of them have already left the country.

He is of the view that allowing citizens to take three years paid leave from work to manage small or medium enterprises gives the Kuwaiti teacher an opportunity to leave teaching field, and the step will also increase financial burden on the Ministry of Finance by paying teachers running their businesses and those taking their places.

The official indicated the decision has negative repercussions in terms of reserving teaching positions for Kuwaiti employee for three years, adding the step might prevent the employment of new graduates as teachers.

Furthermore, it will open the door for “wasta” and manipulation whereby people will benefit from government’s salary without doing any work.

By Rana Salem Al-Seyassah Staff

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