JEDDAH, 14 February 2008 — Kuwait’s Deputy Education Minister Ali Al-Barrak confirmed yesterday that approximately 300 Saudi women graduates had applied for teaching jobs in his country.

The women applied for jobs after the ministry announced its requirements for male and female teachers in newspapers and on the Internet.

Al-Barrak said there had been no official coordination between the two GCC countries in this respect and described the Saudis’ job application as “normal.” He said the ministry would conduct tests and personal interviews before appointing new Saudi teachers.

Any Saudi applicant should be a graduate from a university recognized by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Higher Education and should have obtained at least “good” in the final examination. He said Saudi employees would be treated the same way as Kuwaitis, except in some salary details. He commended the high standard attained by Saudi women graduates.

Al-Barrak said Kuwait was facing a shortage of teachers, especially in chemistry, physics and French, adding that his ministry’s officials tour Arab countries to recruit teachers. He said most Saudi applicants lived in cities near the border with Kuwait or are married to Kuwaitis while some others live in the emirate.

He denied reports that the Kuwaiti Ministry was providing Saudi women teachers with housing allowances and other benefits in addition to monthly salaries. Such benefits are given to teachers recruited by special panels after visiting Arab countries.

Asked why Saudis were showing interest in working in Kuwait, Al-Barrak said: “It may be because of similarities in language and religion in addition to family and social bonds.”

Saudis will also undergo special training courses in order to adapt to the country’s syllabus, especially in subjects such as mathematics and Islamic education, he pointed out.

Speaking to Arab News, some Shoura members criticized the “brain drain” and described it as a “sign of danger.” They blamed the Education Ministry’s negligence for Saudis leaving to Kuwait and other neighboring counties, including Bahrain and Qatar, in search of jobs.

Saudi women teachers have complained that the ministry appoints them in remote areas, often causing them to become victims of horrendous road accidents. They also say that the salary package is not attractive.

At the same time, a number of education officials welcomed the decision taken by Saudi women to work in other Gulf countries, saying it was within the framework of cooperation between the six GCC member states.

Dr. Hamad Al-Shaghroud, former director of education in the Asir Region and a former Shoura member, said there was nothing wrong with Saudi women working in other GCC countries. “This will integrate people in the GCC countries,” he added.

He said the difference between the curriculum in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries was negligible. He believed that the Shoura Council needed not discuss the issue. “I don’t think this is an issue to be taken up by the Shoura,” he told Arab News.

Mahdi Al-Raqidi, former director of education in the Asir Region, said the government should have facilitated employment of Saudi women in other GCC countries. “Our Education Ministry sends about 300 Saudi teachers of Arabic language and Islamic studies to other Arab countries annually to work as teachers.”