DAMMAM: Sources have told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that 32,000 jobs in education have been approved for women in the coming year, with another 13,000 for males and 7,000 at kindergartens, as part of Royal Orders addressing female unemployment. The sources said that the 52,000 positions are not part of the Ministry of Education's annual plan which declares the nationwide need for teacher numbers for the following year, and which put the figure for next year at approximately 6,000 women and 8,000 male teachers. “The ministry's teacher requirement figures are entirely unconnected to the 52,000 positions,” they said. The sources added that 20 percent of the current 26,000 female teachers have spent close to 20 years in education. “Should service before retirement be reduced to 31 years, then thousands of posts will open up, and that will allow a lot more teachers seeking work to be found positions,” they said.
