The Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has issued Ministerial Decision No. 46 of 2017 on the financial reward system for substitute teachers in government schools for boys and girls.

According to the decision, which was published in the latest issue of the Official Gazette, the financial reward system will be applied according to the specific provisions of the decision.

The decision stipulates that candidates for the substitute teacher system will be selected based on the required degrees and competencies and the relevant conditions set by the Ministry of Education while priority should be given to UAE nationals, followed by the sons of female nationals, then the nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, countries. In case of the unavailability of these categories, other nationalities may be employed to work in the substitute teacher system.

The decision states that substitute teachers should cover the absence of permanent teachers during the school year for any reason, and that the human resources procedures adopted by the Federal Authority for Human Resources should be followed for those selected.

According to Article 3 of the decision, substitute teachers are entitled to receive a financial reward for working during the school day or in a class, such that nursery school substitute teachers receive AED500 for each working day at a maximum of five working days per week, and teaching activity-based subjects at AED100 per class with a maximum of 30 classes per week.

The Arabic language, Islamic education, history, geography, Cycle One, economics, social studies, national education, health sciences and life skills with AED120 per class at a maximum of 30 classes per week.

Mathematics, the English language, physics, chemistry, biology, science, Cycle Two, special education, computer sciences, design, technology, business administration, creative design and innovation with AED150 per class and a maximum of 30 classes per week.

The financial rewards are to be drawn from the approved budget of the Ministry of Education, as per the decision.

The decision also stipulates that Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, will oversee the issuing of the required approvals to implement the provisions of the decision, which should include the appropriate procedures to establish a database of the names of reserve teachers. Al Hammadi will also be entitled to add, remove or update any school subjects cited in Article 3, under the same amount identified for school and activity-based subjects.