Sunday, May 10, 2015

Illegal teachers run from Beladiya in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, May 9: A number of parents complained that their children panicked when they saw many of their teachers running away from classrooms last week after being informed about the presence of a tripartite committee headed by the Public Authority for Manpower in the schools to inspect the work permits of the teachers, reports Al- Anba daily.

One of the parents of a student at a private school in Mangaf area explained that his son was  shocked to see his teachers running from the school and hiding in a nearby mall when they heard about the presence of the committee.

When the parent heard about this, he asked the school administration and discovered that the teachers are not on work permits sponsored by the schools but on dependant visas registered under their husbands. He wondered about the role of the Private Education Department in fighting this phenomenon which could negatively impact the educational system and the students.

Meanwhile, another parent revealed that the administration of a school where his son studies had asked his son to not come to the school until he is informed about the date to resume. When he asked about the reason, he was told that they wanted the students to stay at home due to the presence of the committee in the area and return only after the committee leaves.

I knew someone who works there and is legal. This has been happening for a long time, there are a few Kuwaiti teachers there and over a hundred kids, so when the beladiya shows up the teachers are notified by the department heads and they literally take off running dropping kids in the process. They jump into their cars and head off to the nearby restaurants until they are called back. The remaining Kuwaiti teachers are instructed to act like they are the teachers (of all the children in the school).

This time it was at the end of the day and not all of the teachers were there. The kids are left alone and see the teachers run away which I'm sure is terrifying. This has been going on the whole year and maybe longer because they are not getting proper residencies for their teachers which happens a lot! This is a British school in Fahaheel not Mangaf, maybe they are trying to hide the identity of the actual school.

So parents, all of the money you are spending on private education is most likely lining the pockets of  the owners who can't take care of their staff. Can you imagine your children sitting in school when all of a sudden the teachers just run away without securing your child? I know of a British school in Mangaf whose teachers used to pay for their residencies on other businesses because they couldn't get it from the school.

This has been happening for many many years but because they are Western they aren't searched as much as expats maybe that will change now. I would always ask the principals of the school if their staff are taken care of out of the safety of my children. If suddenly your kids are not allowed in school that's a RED FLAG that something wrong is going on!

--As of  today the teachers from several schools were hiding out in Al Kout mall and rumor has it that six teachers from a school in Dasman have been deported directly to the airport? Several other schools -two in Sabah Al Salem, one in Mahboula and one school in Hawalli were checked as well.  It seems they are going after teaching assistants who are on dependent visa 22 instead of visa 18?

UPDATE: For all you teachers who continue to leave rude comments, you can stop now. It's all over you're not special any more move on, get over it! You will be forgotten soon enough, spotlight is turned off etc. It was initially reported to Al Anba paper which is an Arabic paper so obviously a parent reported it not an inside job. La migra!! Wow! Some disgruntled old hens out there for real!

Yes, quite frankly it is my blog and I can write about what I want and who I let comment! Now ladies, take your Xanax and chill before you have a heart attack.

17 comments:

  1. wasn't Al Kout... try again. close tho. ;)

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  2. Gate Mall or Baraiq Mall that's the only ones I can think of

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  3. There are a number of private schools who treat their teachers like crap. My American friend worked as a teacher/behavioral therapist (the word/name of school is mentioned in your story above, but I'm not going to state it) and after almost a year, was not provided a residency visa by the school. They also paid her consistently late. The owners of the school, you ask? Hmmmm.

    I receive a lot of questions from readers about what school is good, what school is bad. I always recommend that BEFORE coming to Kuwait, they get on teacher's forums and chat rooms in Kuwait and pose questions. Same goes for what schools you are going to send your children to.

    I have posted links to some of the forums in Kuwait. They are interesting reads!
    http://desertgirlkuwait.blogspot.com/2012/01/dg-index-information-for-teachers.html

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  4. You should see the comments I've received on this post. Some psycho teacher trying to sugar coat it when it's blasted all over the papers. I had to delete her comments just to make it stop. Majority of the schools have shady practices but it's only until the teachers stand up and report them to shoon. Like Big Worm says 'playing with my money is like play with my emotions' if a person let's them do it they will continue. There are so many labor lawyers out there waiting for these cases.

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  5. You're right. I'm pretty sure you see what I'm going through with my former landlord right now in court. If no one stands up and does something; then all the injustice around us will only continue.

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  6. Replies
    1. What's TQLS? I thought we were discussing ESF???

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  7. TQLS, well yes the new teachers weren't given residency since they lost their contract with KOC. I've read that Saudi Arabia is shutting down Wafra oil which means the remaining TQLS employees may be out of a job soon.

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  8. Did you have a valid visa - 18/22/ whatever, when you worked for them?

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  9. The spotlight is very much on you since you were first to shed light on the subject and have previously posted several articles from the newspaper in question. It's obviously an inside job and a personal attack towards certain female members of staff who are on dependent visas. Put the claws away and do yourself a favor- post about something that is NEW, for someone that says they know so much about Kuwait- you know very little.. This has been going on for the last 20 years and will continue to.

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  10. The terrifying thing is that people like YOU are the reason why good teachers leave this country, shedding light on something that is actually out of their control. Many teachers ask for residency and are told over and over again - it's coming or it's being processed. Be thankful that good western staff actually still come to Kuwait considering how unstable the whole gulf region is. As an expat yourself- you should be ashamed of yourself putting lives and jobs at risk of HARD working people. The people you are attacking rarely have a day off, no social lives, spend their weekends planning and making activities for children that are worthwhile and educational- or would you prefer an entire school full of sleeping Arabs that take naps in staff rooms and spend the first two hours of the day having breakfast?

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  11. I really don't care about any of this or the teachers. There are other places they can go if it's so bad here, no one forces them to stay. It's tax free money that attracts them not the allure of a social and night life. --or would you prefer an entire school full of sleeping Arabs that take naps in staff rooms and spend the first two hours of the day having breakfast?--- And people are attacking me for the things I say. A bit racist? Actually not racist it's what Western expats feel towards Arabs in this country deep down inside.

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    1. Actually, that is pretty accurate. I have worked in schools across Kuwait for the last 15 years and it is a well known fact that the Arabic Departments in most schools manipulate their timetables to ensure they are free from 9-11 when the hunger fest begins.

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    2. Racist? People from the Gulf are Arabs - how exactly is it racist to call them what they are? You are an idiot.
      It's the exact same as calling a group of people from France 'the French group' or a group of people from Ethiopia - Ethiopians.
      You are just pulling at strings now to cover up the libelous and slanderous comments that you have made and are continuing to make.

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    3. Who said the teachers thought it was bad? No-one said they wanted to leave Kuwait- stop twisting things.

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    4. These people have no social lives so they decide to continue to bug me. Hey ladies, how about taking up a knitting class or something to help you guys relax a little. I'm closing this thread for any further comments so how about you old bitties make your own blog and rant!

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  12. One of the big schools in Kuwait was visited today. This school hid various staff members in an office and told them to act as parents.

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Comments are welcome! Personal attacks are not. Thanks!