Expats studying in public schools likely to be charged

Manama :  Lawmakers are looking forward to adopt an-eye-for-an-eye concept with expat students studying in public schools in Bahrain.

A proposal was submitted by a group of MPs, stipulating that “charges should be imposed only on students from countries that impose fees on Bahraini students studying in their public educational institutions.”

This was announced on Thursday afternoon, after the Legislative and Legal Affairs Parliamentary Committee approved the proposal from a constitutional perspective.

The proposal aims to edit the seventh article of the existing Law 27 of the year 2005 with respect to educational services in the Kingdom.

The current law stipulates that “fundamental (primary and intermediate) and secondary education should free for all in public schools in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

The lawmaker’s suggestion was to amend the law by “imposing charges on non-Bahraini students in public schools, belonging to countries that impose education charges on Bahraini students studying in public educational establishments.”

They added that “Education Ministry is responsible of setting the intended fees.”

DT News reported on last November that MP Jalal Kadhem Al Mahfoudh and a group of MPs presented a proposal suggesting to compel foreigners who are studying in public school to pay annual fees.

While speaking to DT News back then, Al Mahfoudh quoted Education Minister Dr. Majid Al Nuaimi’s statements saying, “Each student annually costs the state around BD3000.” The MP stressed that “such big amounts should only benefit Bahrainis and GCC nationals.”

He added that this would create new revenue for the state budget.