There are no studies being carried out or specialist centers that seek to improve the teaching profession and skills of teachers in Saudi Arabia. This is the opposite of what happens in the European countries, for example, where numerous bodies compare the condition of teachers with their counterparts in other countries and discuss changes happening in the profession. The Arab world marks Teachers' Day on Feb. 25. Other countries of the world celebrate their own localized versions of the day on different occasions and it is either marked as an official holiday or an occasion where students and their families are invited to celebrate with their teachers in schools. Survey The Makkah daily reported that there were no planned events to honor teachers in the Kingdom. To find out how teachers view their profession in the Kingdom, the newspaper conducted a survey on a sample of male and female Saudi teachers in all regions of the Kingdom. In total, 400 teachers were questioned. These were the results: 1 – Was the teaching profession better in the past? Yes: Males 121; females 187. No: Males 44; females 37. 2 – If you find a job outside the teaching profession, will you accept it? Yes: Males 129; females 153. No: Males 39; females 72. 3 – When you reach voluntary retirement age, will you opt for early retirement? Yes: Males 108; females 136. No: Males 87; females 31. Triple demands Throughout the past month, the Ministry of Education denied rumors on the expected improvement of male and female teachers' situation in Saudi Arabia. According to the rumors, housing allowances and medical insurance were set to be granted to teachers and principals would be granted special allowances. Later, rumors of salary increments for both teachers and principals began circulating. At that time, the ministry warned its personnel not to believe in the rumors and stated that it is always holding workshops, programs and educational meetings for teachers. It released a statement saying its policy is to subject educational programs to constant evaluations due to the keenness of officials at the ministry to achieve quality and raise the standard of performance and any decisions are announced through official channels. Regardless of the ministry's statement, the survey showed that the demands of teachers closely matched the rumors that were being circulated. Medical insurance Both male and female teachers said they want medical insurance coverage. The official spokesman of the Ministry of Education, Mubarak Al-Ossaimi, through his Twitter account, said providing medical insurance is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. Housing allowance Teachers of both sexes said a housing allowance would provide further stability. Last month, the Ministry of Housing approved a mechanism that will allow Saudi families to own homes and ensure that housing support reaches those who deserve it most. One of the conditions that determine whether or not an applicant will receive assistance is his or her financial status. The ministry promised to draw up a bylaw that explains these conditions in detail. The Varkey Gems Foundation, which is a group that is concerned with developing education, launched an index to measure the level of respect for teachers in different countries. China topped the list followed by Greece and Turkey. Although the study did not include Saudi Arabia, the following are viewpoints on teachers in various countries: China: The teacher's status equals that of a doctor. Britain: Moderately respected, they are compared with nurses. Spain: Moderately respected. Japan: A teacher is like any government employee. The United States: Respect for the teacher has declined, calls for intervention of families to teach their children how to respect teachers. Saudi Arabia: There is no respect for teachers and no regulations in place to increase respect for them. Many observations were noted on the decline of the teacher's status in society. Early retirement After legislators failed to reduce the retirement age for female teachers and the insistence of some sectors to continue with the old system, 5,450 female teachers asked for early retirement last year, according to a report by the Ministry of Civil Service. Among male teachers, 2,549 sought early retirement. The report disclosed that the number of female teachers who left their jobs for other reasons reached 287. For male teachers the figure stood at 345. When asked about the main reason for leaving their profession, teachers cited a poor work environment. They stated that most classrooms are cramped and lack proper ventilation and lighting. Main complaints Male teachers: o Underdeveloped curricula o Lack of education aids o Education environment does not encourage students to excel o Poor general educational environment o Students have a lot of problems with teachers o Difficulty in dealing with students o Poor expectations of students in their studies and conduct o Buildings unfit for education o Lack of training for teachers o Teachers not given their due rights
Female teachers: o Parents' carelessness in educating their children o A lot of pressure on teachers o School located far away from home o Insufficient transportation for female students o Heavy workload on teacher besides administrative work o Female students' noncompliance and no followups from home o Lack of education aids o Lack of respect for teachers by officials and students o Lack of students' activities that contribute to knowledge enrichment o Most buildings are rented and unfit for educational needs
