In reaction to Kasim Al-Amer’s comments in Al-Watan on March 10 about the delay of Saudization in general and in the private sector in particular, I would like to say this: In the past the field of business was open, but it is now full of foreigners.
The field was open to anyone who wanted to work in service maintenance in the public sector, including schools and hospitals, but these jobs are now in the hands of companies and institutions that employ foreigners. Foreigners drive water trucks for the water agency after Saudi drivers were laid off or forced into retirement. Now there are thousands of Saudis working as driving instructors. But, these jobs are threatened by foreigners, too, with increasing demands to privatize the teaching sector.
As for the private sector, I think everybody knows that foreigners dominate jobs there. Calls to train more Saudis to meet the demands of the private sector are increasing because Saudis lack the certificates the private sector needs.
Saudis are prevented from working in office jobs in the private sector. How can they be employed in the private sector if the human resources departments are dominated by foreigners? But why blame the private sector alone? The government sector has been no more enthusiastic to employ Saudis. If the Ministry of Health, for example, got rid of foreign technicians, more Saudis could be employed.
Even universities have for decades been relying on foreign teachers. One member of the board of teachers at King Faisal University said: “You only need to visit one of our universities and colleges to see how many foreigners are working in teaching jobs. Aren’t there enough talented graduates from our universities who could work as teachers?”
Where is the planning? Where is encouragement for talented students in the education sector?
Arab News From the Local Press 29 March 2003
