New financial procedures announced

The Supreme Education Council has announced a package of new financial procedures, including the completion of the first phase of the documentation of data and information on staff working in the independent schools and entering of these data into the SEC database. According to workshops' findings organized by the Shared Services Department, 90% of independent schools have sent its staff data to the SEC. The workshops included issues about how to schedule staff data, classifying and describing them, according to a recent scientific systems of storing and retrieving data and information.

An official source at the SEC said that the new procedures separate funding intended for salaries and wages from the school's operating budget. This gives the schools a lot of advantages and enhances their capacity to implement the policy of Qatarization. The source added that the allocations of salaries and wages would be sent to the independent schools on the twenty-fourth of every month. The operational budget will be given according to the rules agreed upon between the SEC and the independent schools.

The source also pointed out that the SEC is keen to maintain the jobs of all its seconded staff in the independent schools. This is in light of the new rules adopted by the human resource department regarding salary increment.

The source said that the second phase pertaining to data and information of staff working in independent schools will include a review of these data to ensure its compatibility to the recruitment procedures and compliance with the terms of employment, standards and requirements established by the Education Institute. Particularly with regard to administrative structures and job description, so is safe to put the right staff in the right place, and then upgrade the educational process at large.

The official source also stressed that the process of monitoring and reviewing of personnel data will help facilitate the process of overseeing the implementation of new government policies like Qatarization in the independent schools, especially in clerical and administrative posts. The process also ensures that the recruitment policy in the independent schools is governed by laws and regulations therefore providing more satisfaction among professionals in the same profession.

In response to whether these procedures restrict the autonomy granted to independent schools, the official said the independent schools have complete freedom in all recruitment and employment procedures. The SEC is only supervising the process to ensure it is in compliance with the general guidelines and directions set by the SEC.