JEDDAH, 29 November 2002 — Saudi female teachers employed by private schools are underpaid, overworked and harassed, an Arab News investigation reveals.

They come under tremendous pressure at work and are forced to teach subjects that have nothing to do with their specialized subjects. Some of them are even made to wash the school rooms after classes are over.

Moreover, the investigation found that some Saudi women have to teach as many as 10 different subjects.

“I teach 10 subjects in the school, but not English,” said Huda, a specialist English teacher based in a private girls’ school in Jeddah.

All the female Saudi teachers interviewed told Arab News that they want the Ministry of Education to look into their plight and take up their cause with the managers of the private schools.

The interviews revealed that their mistreatment is caused by a number of factors. Many young Saudi teachers are not well qualified for the job so they are not held in high regard. And their insurance cover is much more expensive than for non-Saudis, meaning they are a drain on resources.

It was also found that non-Saudi teachers in private schools are on average paid higher salaries than those received by Saudis. Whereas expatriate teachers get between SR2,000 and SR2,500 per month, Saudi teachers get only between SR1,200 and SR2,000. Saudi staff do not get overtime pay.

To make matters worse, their class supervisors are usually not from the same academic area and are given to criticizing the teachers in front of their students. Some use derogatory language which undermines the teachers’ morale.

“It’s like being in a women’s prison, where anything you say may be used against you,” said a Saudi female teacher, explaining why many refused to give their names to Arab News.

Saudi teachers are forced to buy uniforms from their schools at double the market price.

Parents who pay high fees for their children’s education put pressure on the school administration, which has a knock-on effect on the already harassed teachers. Unruly students add to the teachers’ difficult conditions. The study found that the cumulative effect of all these woes is that the teachers have neither peace of mind nor employment security. The administration does not take into consideration the female teachers’ social or medical circumstances. Their pay is cut for days not worked, even if they produce medical certificates to show that they were genuinely ill.