'Private school teacher wages increased, under close scrutiny'

AMMAN — Minister of Education Tayseer Nuaimi said on Tuesday that the wages of teachers working in private schools have been increased and put under close scrutiny.

In a press conference, Nuaimi said that complaints filed by private school teachers regarding deducted and withheld salaries have been addressed.

The ministry "has followed up with reported violations and mistreatment of teachers in private schools", he said, adding that it will not renew the licences of 145 private schools for the upcoming year for failing to provide their teachers’ salaries, which is a prerequisite for licensing. 

The ministry is in contact with these schools, which have either chosen to amend their situations or close down completely.

The ministry worked out an agreement with the Social Security Corporation not to renew the licences of private schools without a guarantee that they would submit statements of their employees registered with the Ministry of Education and being covered by the provisions of the Social Security Law, he said.

Nuaimi added that 198 schools have "taken advantage" of the financial facilities provided by the government to pay salaries, adding that 41,000 teachers from the private sector have benefitted from the protection programmes launched by the Social Security Corporation.

The minister also pointed to a study on rescheduling teacher's loans, exempting them from interests and offering them fully funded housing loans, which will be announced next week.