KUWAIT CITY, June 12: Nineteen people — 17 Asians and two British (a principal and a teacher) working for a foreign school have been arrested by the authorities for violating the residence law, reports Al-Rai daily. The daily added, the arrests came after the Operations Room of the Ministry of Interior received information that two British men were working for the school in violation of the law.
The ministry after taking necessary permission from the Public Prosecution raided the school and arrested the violators. According to security sources the principal of the school and one teacher (both British men) entered the country on visit visas. The suspects have been handed over to the concerned authorities.
I guess they should have taken their vacations early!
I would like to know what kind of penalties was the school owner subjected to?
ReplyDeleteThey need to take a good look at all the schools in Kuwait and not just one- although it's a bit late in the day to do that now as many are closed for the summer. (The company which owns the school in question has two people 'at the top' in one of their other schools with questionable qualifications).
ReplyDeleteDo companies get a penalty for these visa violations? Who at the ministry checks out qualifications and how exactly are the checks done? Who at HR checks references? Anyone? Has anyone heard of Google. Just a thought.
(Remember only six months ago we had a confirmed paedophile on the run from officials in India, living and working here under an assumed name and a fake passport- where is he now btw?)
Would be more interested in the Ministry of Private Education actually checking out people's backgrounds ( checking for real degrees versus ones that can be bought in 20 minutes), checking why people who have been fired from school after school IN Kuwait, continue to get approval etc. Truth is that many of the illegal visa working teachers probably are qualified to teach and their only crime is having no correct work permit ( but without correct paperwork how can we guarantee safety /what are their backgrounds?)
And while immigration is seeking out these people (who may possibly be doing a good job) others who may be much more sinister (some with no backgrounds at all ?) slip through the net legally.
It's frightening- every day we leave our children for 6-7 hours in the care of people, some of whom seem not to have existed prior to 2012.....or have never existed elsewhere at all. And without proper paperwork it is easier for these dubious characters to slip in.
For example:
ReplyDeletethis teacher is now Deputy Head of primary in a British School in Hawalli! Did the Ministry ( school) check this out before hiring and giving approval?
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/pontefract-headteacher-suspended-1-2234578
A headteacher has been suspended amid allegations he used unnecessary physical force when dealing with a pupil.
David Ludvigsen, head of St Giles Junior and Infant School in Pontefract, is being investigated over claims he manhandled a pupil at the Skinner Lane School.
* Click here for latest YEP news.
Wakefield Council chiefs have confirmed an investigation is under way at the school which has 230 pupils aged three to eleven.
* Click here for latest Wakefield news.
Staff at the school on Skinner Lane, near Pontefract town centre, have been asked to give accounts to help the council's inquiry.
Mr Ludvigsen, who lives in the Alverthorpe area of Wakefield, said: "I can't comment, sorry about that."
A spokesman for Wakefield Council said: "The council can confirm an investigation is under way and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further.A police spokeswoman said they are not involved in the council's investigation.
Parents collecting their children from the school said they were unaware Mr Ludvigsen had been suspended.
Mary Murray, chairman of governors at the school, declined to comment.
Mr Ludvigsen's place on the board of governors at the school has been temporarily taken by acting headmaster John Devey.
Mr Ludvigsen was previously deputy head of Ryhill Junior and Infant School near Wakefield.
The YEP understands he was suspended from his job at St Giles several weeks ago.'
Honestly, I doubt they do many checks, I think they take a blind eye to the subject unless someone complains then they have to look into it. The owners of the school are usually wealthy individuals with wasta and continue to do do what they want. I don't understand how teachers/staff can continue to work after their 100 day trial period without asking for their visa.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is entitled to legal residency and if they are not offered it after their trial period they should high tail it to the Ministry and complain or else this will continue to happen. If you complain you can get a little more protection otherwise deportation and a ban is headed your way.
PEOPLE!!!! YOU HAVE RIGHTS!!!! Don't let companies take advantage of you!
The problem is that Kuwait has a quota system requiring a school to have a ratio of Kuwaitis to expats. Schools get around this by hiring people "under the table" (without work visas). Given the Wasta system the only one hurt is the expat who is deported. Some of these "unqualified" teachers are paid low salaries and do not get holidays paid.
ReplyDeleteNot true fir the most part anonymous, sorry.
ReplyDeleteMost of the 'under the table' teachers in US and British schools anyway,
( qualified or unqualified) are being paid top notch salaries and as long as they begin their term in September and continue until the end of the year, get both paid holidays and in some cases accommodation and /or rent allowance + flight.
Should the workers be punished or the school? Many schools in Kuwait have overseas teachers (American, Canadian…) working without papers because the SCHOOL doesn't want to go through the process of obtaining them a work visa. So these teachers are left in limbo…they want to be here working and making money but in constant fear of getting caught. What's a teacher to do!?!?
ReplyDeleteA lot of wasta saves the owners and unfortunately it looks like teachers are paying the price. They will learn soon enough when teachers no longer come to Kuwait and now that they require everyone, even the teacher's assistants have degrees there will be a shortage. It's coming,,,,,,,soon
ReplyDeleteIf it says the word "English" in the School name, then I believe it is only fair to assume that your child, or children, are being taught by UK teachers. Also Teachers from the UK should have all their documentation checked, this includes Degrees, CRB, references etc. As pointed out in an earlier post there are too many people (won't use word Teacher) without proper qualifications - as pointed out, many of these so called educators have purchased their qualifications inside 20 minutes by paying. And not wanting to sound bias - all UK trained staff should have a minimum BA, PGCE and QTS.
ReplyDeleteBias (sic).....mmm.
DeleteQualified teacher status (QTS) is required in England and Wales to work as a teacher of children in state schools under local authority control, and in special education schools. A similar status exists under a different name in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Teachers in the UK in non-state schools and some Public (private) schools do not always require either a PGCE or QTS- this is up to the discretion of the board of governors. Ironically, English medium schools in Kuwait probably fall into the category of non-state and public (private) more than state-school. In addition, although many use the guidelines of the National Curriculum, they use versions which are often adapted to the local community.
English speaking teachers from elsewhere in the commonwealth also hold equally acceptable qualifications recognized in their own English speaking countries and abroad which differ from your BA/PGCE/QTS.
But perhaps you under the assumption that English teacher means you must come from somewhere between Land’s End and Berwick Upon Tweed to qualify as a ‘proper teacher’?
The problem is that the Ministry of Private Education in Kuwait do not recognise PGCE's. This means that properly qualified teachers who teach in the UK, Have gone through transcript and police checks etc. May face difficulties getting approval from Saud ministry so cannot get residency. The teachers in question in this news report are well qualified.
ReplyDeleteIncorrect- the PGCE IS recognised by the Ministry of Education Kuwait, as an ADDITIONAL qualification after a degree.
DeleteThe teachers in this report may be well qualified (that is not confirmed) but two facts are confirmed -
1) They were breaking the law by working illegally.
2) Their company was breaking the law by employing them illegally.
And really, it doesn't take a degree in astrophysics to work out that having your PRINCIPAL ( first in the firing line with Ministry officials and visits) on a visit visa is priceless in the idiot stakes.
You can only get a PGCE if you have a prior degree - it stands for post graduate certificate in education. And in my experience it is recognised as I'm a legal alien teaching in Kuwait with English QTS. ☺
ReplyDeleteI believe this school was IAK- International Academy Kuwait ( an Al Shaya Schools school- not Al Shaya the Avenues, a different one).
ReplyDeleteWould probably be a good idea for the ministry to look into the visa status and qualifications of staff ( also those at top) in their other two schools English School for Girls and Oxford Academy.
Don't the private education department at the MOE have staff who come and check these things?
There is many teacher illegal
Deletehave the ministry telephone number ????
DeleteThere are rules but no one checks to see if they are being followed. Only when someone makes a claim do they actually check it out. If they did a raid on all of the schools on the same day at the same time they would have to bring a bus to put all of the illegal people in.
ReplyDeleteMy son principal in international british school fahaheel near fire station now charging all of us parent for books copied books is illegal no? he charging money ya3ni 3kd. Im sure I think you should make post about this. this is huge copyright broblem and he asking all parents to commit a crime. This is illegal, everyone know nowhere in the world you can copy a books and hand out maybe over 1000 illegal books? I don't know what I do I don't think I will buy a book for my boy
ReplyDelete