Eight percent of all government officials in the Kingdom were absent from work last week. This came to light after investigators from over 20 branches of the Control and Investigation Board (CIB) made surprise visits to ensure that officials were at work. The field teams noted that the absences coincided with school holidays. A source said the percentage was normal for this time of the year. The CIB will initiate disciplinary measures including salary deduction and notifications on absentees to curtail the occurrence of this negative phenomenon. According to the field reports, most officials absent themselves on the first day of work to avoid traffic congestions and waking up early. Authorities say that strict penalties will now be imposed on those who don't show up for work without permission, Al-Yaum Arabic newspaper reported. However, government officials are not the only ones playing truant — many students and even teachers didn't show up for school on the first day of the second semester. Education administrations have called upon schools to monitor absenteeism throughout the year and apply its special procedural plan designed to check the trend. Education Administration in the Eastern Province has claimed that absenteeism in the first week has become frequent in both private and public schools and even in universities and institutes. It stressed the importance of showing up on the first day of school and vowed to intensify its efforts and take necessary measures against violators.
