Education Ministry gives go-ahead for teachers to work from home

TDT | Manama

The Ministry of Education gave the green light yesterday for all teachers to work from home, as from Sunday. The measure follows the directives of the Executive Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. It is also in line with the Civil Service Bureau’s (CSB) directive to allow ministries, entities and government departments to increase the rate of distance work to 70 per cent as a maximum.

“The Ministry of Education has thus achieved the required 70 per cent cap of its overall human resources,” said the Public and Media Relations Directorate. Meanwhile, administrative and technical staff will continue performing their work at schools, in addition to other ministry personnel. Husbands whose wives assume vital duties at the front line of the fight against COVID-19 will also be allowed to work from home. The ministry will continue assigning some teachers to carry out lessons online during this period as the country continues its battle to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

“All teachers are required to continue assuming their duties and prepare lessons, enrichment material, and discussion sessions online, in addition to assessing and mark students’ work and activities during the normal working hours,” said the directorate. Administrative and technical staff will follow up teachers’ work in coordination with the ministry’s concerned directorate. Schools will be required to submit regular reports updating the ministry on the ongoing work-from-home procedure, as per the CSB circular. Under CSB instructions, employees may be required to perform their duties alternately from their homes and work places, whenever necessary and subject to the authorities’ review.