The new academic year 2021/2020 began 1 September with the attendance of teachers from kindergarten to high school, the education authorities are looking into the fate of teachers stranded in some countries which are on a flight ban list. A list of names of teachers will be submitted to the Supreme Committee in the Council of Ministers to discuss the possibility of their return to the country, AL Jarida reports.
In this context, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education (MoE), Faisal Al-Maqsid, confirmed that the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) approved a mechanism to address the conditions of expatriate teachers and employees stranded in their countries abroad, explaining that the Bureau’s instructions require that teachers be granted 15 days leave without pay, starting from the beginning of September, provided that their absence from work will be counted as an absence with an acceptable excuse, explaining that their work centers will request the Financial Department to halt their salaries, starting from the September salary, until they start work.
Al-Maqsid said that the ministry had addressed the Civil Service Bureau to reach a legal solution to the situation of teachers stuck abroad, especially since the law provides for the dismissal of an employee who has been absent from work for more than 15 consecutive days. He pointed out that the situation for these teachers and employees, who are considered suspended, is different, because they are unable to come to work under the circumstances of the coronavirus, and the flight ban.
With regards to employees not subject to the school holidays system, who left the country on periodic leave before 12 March, and it is not possible for them to return, he pointed out, they will be granted leave within the limits of the available leave balance, as well as a special leave without pay, not exceeding 15 days, and the leave request can be done by telephone or by any other means. He added that in the event that the conditions for granting the leave are not met, the employee is considered suspended from work with a compelling excuse and is not entitled to salaries.
He pointed out that for the employees subject to the school holidays system, the employee who left the country before work was suspended and is unable to return due to the flight ban, then what was decided for those under the school holidays system will be applied to him. After the end of the suspension period and the continued difficult for their return, as from the start date of work in schools according to the academic system, the employee may be granted owned leave, including special leave without pay for a period of 15 days, and if the employee is unable to attend school, then he is considered suspended from work with a compelling excuse, and he is not entitled to a salary.