UAE: Sharjah schools banned from making teachers do admin tasks

Private schools in Sharjah have been banned from making teachers carry out administrative work on top of holding classes and keeping track of students’ learning progress.

The Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) on Monday issued the decision, after some teachers complained about getting burnt out with all the admin work they had to accomplish.

Enas Abbas was one of those who felt ‘overworked’ as she was asked to do tasks that were not part of her duties as a physical education teacher.

“I was told to come to the admin office to do some data entry work and other tasks. When I refused to do it, I was asked to resign,” Abbas told Khaleej Times.

“These unfair practices happen as some school managements claim they could no longer afford to hire more admin staff because of the challenges brought about by the pandemic,” the teacher added.

The new decision, she said, would be a big help for her and other teachers who had been through the same experience.

Ali Al Hosani, director of the SPEA, said the private schools’ managements had been notified about the ban. They were urged to stop requiring teachers to do extra tasks that may affect their classes. He added that additional duties will impact the distribution of weekly class shares, which are divided among teachers to ensure that all curriculum requirements are covered.

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Schools were instructed to properly distribute classes among teachers, and make sure that the lessons are in line with their specialisations and experience. They should also be given enough time to rest and prepare for the school day, Al Hosani said.

“The SPEA prioritises the role of teachers, and we aim to support and enhance the quality of their life in schools. They should not be burdened with tasks that may affect their educational performance,” the official added.

The authority will be monitoring the schools’ compliance with the circular and take all necessary measures to achieve its goal, he said. School administrations will be held accountable for violations.

Earlier, the SPEA had rejected all requests submitted by some educational institutions to reduce the wages of its teaching staff due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The authority also ordered private schools to return the salaries that were slashed.

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