Sadiya A. Nadeem Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The Ministry of Education (MoE) has started taking interviews of expatriate teachers in separate batches at different venues. Private and international schools received a letter from the Ministry of Education early this year with a set of guidelines required to be fulfilled by expatriate teachers. All international schools were asked to submit to the Department of Private and International Schools at the MoE copies of their teachers' documents comprising certificates, degrees along with translated versions, passport, medical report, iqama, sponsor's iqama. “Our Saudi principal took copies of the teachers' documents along with the original ones (except for the sponsor's iqama) to the ministry, where the officials scrutinized all our papers,” said Farheen Kazi, head of the English department, Hala International School. “Original documents were then sent back and a list was prepared with the name of the teachers who were required to sit for an interview with ministry officials.” After the Haj holidays, a specialized committee from the MoE was sent to conduct interviews of expatriate teachers. The one-on-one interview session with teachers is being conducted for re-verification of all their documents, including the status of their iqama and to test their knowledge of the subject they teach. “Officials from the ministry verified all the copies of the documents against the original ones. They made sure that teachers were teaching subjects in which they had procured a degree. Teachers were interviewed about the subject they were teaching and were also asked about the teaching methods they used in the class. Random yet basic questions on Saudi culture, Islamic studies, personal opinion of Saudi Arabia and its education system were among a host of other topics asked by them,” said Kazi, who teaches English to high school students. She added that the ministry officials are spending a good 10-15 minutes with every teacher. Assistant principal of Jauhara International School (JIS) Shikha Sunil said: “The aim of the interview was also to assess the teaching capabilities of the teachers. In a way this whole interview process was very good because it helped us filter out a lot of incapable teachers.” Teachers whose degrees were not attested have been given a year's time to get their documents authenticated. Those teachers who are in the process of completing their graduation (studying online, distance learning, etc.) have also been asked to get their degrees, or diplomas by the end of this academic year. High school students working as teachers in primary sections or as assistant teachers have also been strictly advised to obtain a professional certificate, enabling them to work in a teaching capacity. Teachers were initially very nervous about meeting face to face with the ministry officials, but smooth interview sessions with the first few batches gave them and other teachers much-needed confidence. “When I went for my interview yesterday (Sunday) I was very frightened, but the manner in which I was interviewed was very good,” said Zubaria Yasmeen, grade one teacher at City International School. Kazi said: “They were firm but very polite, courteous, well-spoken, well-mannerd and completely prepared. They promptly started at the time given and worked beyond the stipulated working hours to wrap up the interview sessions.” “They only took Salah break, and that's it,” said Sunil. Faiza Abdullah Nadwi, owner of JIS, said: “I am very, very impressed with the manner they conducted the interviews with the teachers, not to mention that they even worked during the weekends.” Other teachers with whom Saudi Gazette spoke with also echoed similar satisfactory experiences with the ministry officials. Upon successful completion of the interviews, schools will issue each teacher a permit in their name, allowing them to work legally in the school, according to the letter by the MoE. All teachers are required to carry the work permit with them at all times and show it to the labor office's supervision committee during field visits. But with the end of the amnesty on Sunday, a large number of teachers reportedly are apprehensive of going to school, as they have not yet been interviewed. The supervisor of Al Waha International School, however, said that teachers need not feel apprehensive, because the Ministry of Education has assured them that since the interview sessions are still in progress they will not come knocking on the school doors for inspection.
