New cash incentives .. Do they encourage professional development?

The Education Institute of the Supreme Education Council recently announce an increase in the salaries of teachers of Arabic and English languages, mathematics and science who have successfully passed the advanced curriculum standards adopted in the independent schools.

Teachers who achieve this program get a QR 1000 raise to their basic salary based on the following conditions:

• Obtain a training certificate in the basics of curriculum standards, or 3 years experience in the independent schools.
• Pass the advanced program integrated in teaching English, mathematics, and science in all grade levels (elementary, preparatory and secondary schools), that was adopted in the independent school curriculum standards. This program was successfully implemented in partnership between the Education Institute and the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and will be the first step towards the implementation of National Professional Standards for teachers.

The program was designed to meet the training needs of teachers, and assessment was done by the team from AED during visits to independent schools recently and through feedback and interviews with all concerned parties in the independent schools.