The teachers allege that school authorities are only prepared to give a monthly salary ranging from SR2,000 to SR3,000 to those who agree to work during the next academic year.
They said this was in clear violation of a decree issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah that stipulated the minimum salary of men and women teachers should be not less than SR5,600.
While describing the decision to cut the salary as arbitrary, the teachers noted that the move had nothing to do with the Ministry of Education.
They added that the ministry has so far not issued any order with regard to the implementation of the royal decree, Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper reported.
Maha Al-Qadi, an elementary school teacher, said that she sees no justification for the school management to compel her to sign a new contract with a monthly salary of SR3,000 or resign.
“The order issued by the king should be fully enforced. It needs no further clarifications from the ministry or any other educational bodies,” she said.
Al-Qadi refused to sign the new contract and instead resigned.
“I tendered my resignation papers even though I am in dire need of money to support my family. But I have no regrets leaving the job,” she said while criticizing private school operators for their greed and exploitation.
Echoing the same view, fellow teacher Salma Al-Ghorabi said her school management forced her to sign a new contract with a monthly salary not exceeding SR4,000.
Another woman teacher, who requested anonymity, told the newspaper she agreed to sign a contract for a monthly salary of SR2,000 as she lacks any other source of income.
Meanwhile, the director of a private school, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that school authorities have given the option to teachers to sign new contracts or leave their jobs as a precautionary measure to ensure the smooth running of institutions in the next academic year.
She claimed her school’s labor contract contains a provision to give the teachers the minimum salary stipulated by the royal decree.
It has been pointed out that education authorities have no effective mechanism to monitor the functioning of the private schools and their fee setting.
This prompts most schools to exploit the situation. For instance, teachers of a private school who refused to sign a labor contract with a salary of SR2,000 were vehemently criticized by the school director, the newspaper reported.
According to the royal decree, private school teachers should be given a minimum salary of SR5,000 plus SR600 for their transportation.
Many private schools allegedly raised school fees immediately after the decree was issued, but have not acted to increase the salaries of their teachers. Teachers urged the Ministry of Education to intervene.
