New panel established to review educators' grievances

ABU DHABI // Teacher salaries and vacation time - among other concerns - will be addressed by a new committee, officials announced yesterday. Representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Human Resources Federal Authority will review grievances, officials said. The body was created after meetings between teachers and Humaid al Qattami, the Minister of Education, during the past few weeks.

"I cannot make promises that there is an immediate solution to every problem in education that is brought up," Mr al Qattami said at a forum in Abu Dhabi last month. "But I can promise that teachers' grievances and the problem of pay cuts whenever a teacher needs to take a leave of absence will be solved this summer." In a statement released by the ministry, Mr al Qattami said the committee would also study ways of attracting UAE graduates to teaching - especially men, fewer of whom study education.

Sheikha al Naqbi, principal of Shifaa Centre for Adult Education in Kalbaa near Al Ain, was pleased by the news. "We went to him with our problems and he actually listened," she said. "Teachers are never treated fairly, but hopefully now that will change." hkhalaf@thenational.ae