Online classes for students in southern region proposed

The Ministry of Education has proposed a plan to have top teachers conduct online classes for students in the southern region for security and safety reasons.
An educational services company, which would implement the plan, said interested teachers would be paid SR400 per class, a local publication reported on Friday.

Each class would last for 30 minutes and be delivered to only primary school students during the first semester covering languages, mathematics and sciences. Teachers would need to have advanced qualifications in their respective subjects, and must be technologically knowledgeable.
Sources told a local newspaper that the plan would be implemented if normal classes cannot resume in areas along the border. The ministry has not yet approved the initiative.

Meanwhile, Azzam Al-Dakhil, minister of education, said he plans to put in place standards overseeing teacher transfers, which includes allowing them to work in areas of their choosing.
He made the comments at a workshop held with 90 teachers on the matter. Al-Dakhil said teachers who get to work in regions of their choice tend to perform better, which has a positive impact on students.

Abdulrahman Al-Barak, deputy minister of education for school affairs, said the workshop was an extension of previous initiatives aimed at listening to the views of teachers, and studying the recommendations of an appointed international consultant.

During the meeting, attendees voted on 10 initiatives that were the outcome of previous workshops and a survey in which 120,000 teachers participated. Notable initiatives voted on include cancellation of the requirement for teachers to apply for transfer one year in advance, and having to wait for another one year if they make changes to their initial requests.

Participants also voted on giving teachers the right to list several location options, giving those with 20 years service their first choice — in which case the teacher would not be permitted to request a transfer to another location for several years — and giving priority to teachers in rural areas and requests related to family preferences.