By Amal Al-Sibai
Saudi Gazette
Teachers who work in adult education institutes for eradicating illiteracy across the Kingdom have been complaining for over two months about lack of stability in their jobs and the inadequacy of their monthly salaries, which is not enough to even meet basic living expenses.
The Ministry of Education has finally responded to their grievances and has publicly concurred that the monthly salary allocated to adult literacy teachers is indeed too low. The ministry has sent an urgent memo to the Ministry of Civil Services requesting the installation of stable and permanent positions and raise the teachers wages, to help these teachers experience higher job satisfaction.
The current salary for adult literacy teachers, both men and women, does not exceed SR3,000 a month and teachers are often required to work in a hectic schedule of 24 lessons per week.
To voice their discontent over the meager wages, 125 teachers gathered outside the Ministry of Civil Services in Riyadh earlier this week. A similar gathering of around 200 adult education teachers also took place in front of the Ministry of Education.
Representatives from the Ministry of Civil Services assured the teachers that their ministry is cooperating with both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance to improve the job, social, and financial status of these teachers, who are carrying out a vital and highly esteemed service for their country.
“My colleagues and I feel wronged by the ministries in question and we believe that we are being paid far less than what we deserve. Other teachers working in general education are paid an average of SR8,000 a month. Although we work just as hard as they, our monthly salaries are only SR3000,” said one of the frustrated adult education teachers standing outside the Ministry of Civil Services.
Again, the Ministry of Education promised a number of improvements in the near future for both men and women working in eradicating illiteracy in the Kingdom.
Women reiterated the complaints of their male counterparts and added that their humble salaries are barely enough to cover basic living expenses and that a large portion of their wages is eaten up by private drivers who take them to and from work every day.
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