With just one week left before the start of the school year, a joint committee consisting of representatives from the ministries of Interior, Education, and Higher Education, along with the Civil Service Commission and the Public Authority for Manpower, is reviewing proposals aimed at adjusting the timing of school hours and government employees’ schedules. These adjustments are intended to help alleviate the anticipated traffic congestion as employees return from their summer break.
Reliable sources told Al-Jarida daily, that the Ministry of Education has put forth several proposals regarding the working hours of its employees across various levels, including the Ministry’s central offices, administrative bodies, educational districts, and schools and is considering modifying school hours based on academic stages, ensuring that there is a time gap of no more than 15 minutes between each stage. This approach is being explored to minimize any disruption to students’ daily schedules.
As the new academic year for 2023/2024 is set to commence next Sunday, with over 90,000 teachers and administrators returning to their respective schools, the joint committee, comprised of representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Education, and Higher Education, the Civil Service Commission, the Manpower Authority, and the Schools Union, is meeting today at the Ministry of Interior’s Private School building.
Their discussions will revolve around the working hours of both public and private schools and government agency employees, including how to manage shift schedules effectively to mitigate the expected traffic congestion as employees return to their workplaces following the summer vacation.
In this context, educational sources have revealed that the Ministry of Education has introduced flexible working hours for its general office and central department employees.
These flexible hours are divided into three periods, with each sector having a distinct 30-minute difference in their start and end times. This measure has contributed to reducing overcrowding around the Ministry of Education’s building in the South Surra area. However, it’s important to note that the working hours of employees in educational areas are closely linked to school hours, and any potential changes must consider the impact on traffic congestion.
The committee will engage with each stakeholder to discuss their perspectives and explore the feasibility of modifying their schedules to address traffic congestion effectively. The Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Traffic Department, will thoroughly assess all proposals and traffic patterns to provide a final opinion on how to address these proposals