18/02/2024
783 times read
18/02/2024
783 times read
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 18: Former Minister of Education Dr. Badr Al-Issa, has ignited a parliamentary and media uproar with his proposal to implement fingerprinting for teaching staff at the Ministry of Education, reports Al-Jarida daily. In the midst of all this, many teachers have expressed their opposition. They argue that such a system does not align with the nature of their work and deem it unnecessary and potentially demeaning.
However, Al-Issa has defended his proposal, calling fingerprint attendance a measure to control negligence and improve productivity in the workplace. He emphasized the need for optimal working conditions for teachers to fulfill their educational duties effectively. Addressing concerns about the practicality of fingerprinting, Al-Issa suggested tailored approaches for different categories of educational and administrative staff.
For mentors who visit multiple schools daily, he proposed a system where they would fingerprint at each school visited, with data linked to educational districts. Regarding teaching staff, he proposed categorizing them based on workload and specialization, with varying fingerprinting requirements. He also recommended exempting certain specialized teachers, such as those in high-demand subjects like physics and mathematics, from fingerprinting as a recognition of their scarcity.
Al-Issa further stressed the importance of addressing surplus in certain specializations to prevent crises in schools, which can lead to irregular attendance and laxity among teachers. He called for transparency in publishing data on teacher numbers and specialization percentages to facilitate adjustments and maintain a balanced workforce. While acknowledging potential challenges in implementing fingerprinting, Al-Issa urged for gradual adaptation and emphasized the necessity of preventive measures to address systemic issues within the education sector.