Teachers complain over low salaries

Dubai: Despite the consistent rise in school fee, teachers claim that their salaries have remained stagnant.

Many teachers who spoke to Gulf News said they remained the lowest paid in the market, despite school managements increasing the fees on the pretext they wanted to pay their teachers better.

"I have been working in my school for the past five years and have had only two increases, that too which is very minimal.

"I started off with a salary of Dh2,600 and now I earn nearly Dh3,500 including benefits. My school [has] had at least two major fee increases in the last three years," said a high school teacher who did not wish to be named.

The Ministry of Education has set Dh2,000 as the minimum basic salary for teachers, and it has not been reviewed for several years.

According to many teachers, their basic salary remains the same, even after years of service, as the schools give a negligible Dh60 to Dh80 annual increment on the benefits.

A teacher from the Millennium school, run by GEMS said the annual increments given by GEMS in 2007 were Dh70 whereas there was none this year.

"In 2008, there was a review of salaries and some teachers did get an increment of up to Dh800. But the school has [had] two fee increases, once up to 35 per cent and another 15 per cent the second time. For this year, they have already sent circulars for another 10 per cent increase.

"But teachers are not compensated enough for their hard work," said the teacher who teaches students in higher grades.

Another teacher who works at GEMS Winchester School said most of the teachers were not happy with their salary structures, especially because there are wide disparities. They also said they were never paid for the extra hours they put in.

"If you look at the salaries of many teachers, people who work as private secretaries and clerks earn much better than ours.

"And apart from the fact that we get holidays and weekends, we carry our work home - in terms of correcting papers, checking students' works and even helping them with their studies online," said a teacher who works at Scholars International school.

Most school managements does not provide their teachers with air tickets and they are not compensated for the extra hours put in - something many teachers complained about and said was being taken for granted in all schools.

However, many admitted that they were able to survive in the country because of the free accommodation schools were providing.

Their children also are entitled to fee concessions. However, the percentage of discounts vary in different schools.

it shows that u should never risk your life by taking a teacher profession
From A Reader
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 15:05

The minimum salary of Dh2000 with accommodation, possible increment and concession to their childrencannot be seen as pathetic as commented by the Gulf News reporter Anjana Sankar.Besides weekly two days off, teachers enjoy two months vacation which is one month extra when campared to other clerical posts.
Hamza V T
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 14:20

Everyone know this. When the rule came to make the minimum salary to AED 2000/- all other benefits ( air ticket once in 2 years ) were taken off and made 2000/-
KG Kumar
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 14:17

It's bitter truth that the teachers are paid less than many other professions, and we blame them for taking tuitions and making extra money. With prices going up it's difficult to make both ends meet and they resort to private tuitions. How can we expect the standard of teaching to improve unless the teachers are motivated?
Vidya M.
Abu Dhabi,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 14:08

Teacher is the main bridge towards the child future. If we give respect to a teacher, he/she can give our child a bright future.
Arshad Shah
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 12:58

It is really a pity that the teachers are not getting their worth. Where does all the money go to then? I think the relevant authorities should review the salary structure of the teachers and school staffs along side their fee structure.
Manoj Agarwala
Dubai,United Arab Emirates
Posted: May 25, 2009, 12:10

The ministry should take some good step against schools that increase the school fees, especially during the time of the global financial crisis. The step is not at all justifiable.
Joseph
Dubai,UAE
Posted: May 25, 2009, 11:10