Bill to prioritise Bahraini teachers heads to Shura Council

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A Parliament-backed bill that would push private schools to hire Bahrainis first is heading to the Shura Council.

Some schools are already voicing concern about losing the freedom to choose who gets the job.

The proposed amendment has been reviewed by the Shura’s Services Committee. It seeks to amend the 1998 law that governs private education.

Preference

The key change would compel schools to give preference to Bahraini applicants who meet the job criteria. Those in favour of the bill say it responds to a clear problem.

Thousands of graduates are still looking for teaching posts, while many private schools continue to recruit from overseas.

The public sector cannot take in every new applicant. That much is clear from the Ministry’s own data.

Opportunities

The bill is being put forward as a release valve, directing more opportunities toward private institutions and offering qualified Bahrainis a clearer path into the classroom.

The proposed amendments target Articles 11 and 12 of the existing law. These currently lay out the terms for appointing school managers and teachers.

They mention qualifications, experience, and conduct. The new version keeps those requirements but adds a line stating that if a qualified Bahraini is available, that person should be considered first.

The Services Committee argues that the proposal rests on firm legal ground. Article 13 of the Constitution confirms that work is both a right and a duty for every citizen.

It also states that the state must help make employment possible.

The committee links the bill to the government’s work plan for 2023 to 2026, which includes promises to expand job opportunities for Bahrainis and increase their share of private sector employment.

Amendment

In their view, the proposed amendment would help translate those policy aims into enforceable law. This is not the first time a law has given priority to local talent.

In 2019, a similar measure was introduced in the healthcare sector. Private clinics and hospitals were asked to hire Bahraini doctors, nurses and technicians where possible.