MPs call on Tamkeen to fund kindergarten and nursery teachers’ pay

TDT | Manama

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MPs have given their backing to an urgent proposal directing the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) to step in and keep kindergarten and nursery teachers in post throughout the year, with pay continuing through the summer break.

The call was passed during yesterday’s sitting, with warnings raised that many teachers are again facing a gap in their pay and contracts as the academic year draws to a close. The proposal aims to stop this from repeating by putting a more stable arrangement in place.

Dr Munir Seroor, one of the MPs behind the move, said early years teachers are left in a tight spot each summer.

Unpaid months

“They face unpaid months like July and August because most nurseries aren’t in a position to pay them when the children aren’t there,” he told the chamber. “We want to see Tamkeen step in and help cover those wages, so these teachers stay employed throughout the year, not just during term time.”

MPs pointed out that these short contracts mean teachers face repeated uncertainty, despite their part in the early education of young children.

They want Tamkeen, working with the relevant bodies, to roll out a support plan that keeps salaries going even when schools are closed.

They referred to the Constitution, including Article 13, which puts the onus on the state to ensure decent work, and Article 5(c), which calls for measures to shield people from joblessness. The move, they said, was in keeping with those principles and would plug a long-standing gap in early education.

The proposal would draw on the existing unemployment fund to provide temporary support during the two summer months.

MPs stressed it would not need fresh money from the public purse and would help keep experienced staff in place, raising the overall steadiness of the system.