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Indian teachers in UAE to lose jobs

Almost 800 expatriate teachers, most of them Indians, face the axe as the Education Ministry plans to replace them with United Arab Emirates’ nationals, a media report from Abu Dhabi said on Monday.

The ministry is initially planning to recruit 500 UAE nationals, 95 per cent of them women, to replace expatriates.

“The plan, if approved, will see almost 800 expatriate teachers being asked to leave or being terminated,” Khaleej Times said.

The move is part of the ministry’s plan to place more UAE citizens in teaching posts. Official sources said the Education Ministry will submit a memorandum on the issue to the Cabinet for approval, as the appointment of such a large number of teachers will cost the exchequer at least 30 million dirhams.

“In the event the Cabinet does give its approval to the plan, the services of a very larger number of expatriate teachers in the UAE would be terminated, with some placing the figure at 800,” Khaleej Times said, quoting sources.

UAE nationals would replace expatriate teachers in Arabic, English and Mathematics.

— IANS