UAE federal employees gain flexible work options under school policy
The
The circular aims 'to support federal government employees by providing sufficient flexibility in the work environment in line with applicable directives and legislation, without affecting the workflow and provision of services, in accordance with the systems followed in each federal entity, and with the approval of the direct manager.'
Under the policy, federal employee parents with school-going children may take their children to and from school through a morning late leave or early dismissal on the first school day, for a maximum of three hours, either combined or divided into two periods.
Read:
Parents of children in nurseries and kindergartens may also benefit from a morning late arrival or early departure during the first school week to accompany their children, for up to three hours per day. The timing accounts for differences in school start dates according to the curriculum specified by the competent authorities.
The policy additionally allows flexible working hours for other occasions during the academic year, provided this does not disrupt workflow or conflict with the Federal Government Human Resources Law and its executive regulations. 'An employee may be granted permission for a period not exceeding three hours to attend parent-teacher meetings in his children's schools, and he may also be granted permission for a period not exceeding three hours to attend graduation ceremonies, events and activities for his children.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
Kuwait rewrites development method with mega projects, new vision
KUWAIT -- Integrated government action linking economic diplomacy with strategic partners and coupled with a comprehensive system of internal reforms are driving the significant transformation in major project development in Kuwait. This transformation reflects a clear vision to improve performance efficiency, enhance transparency and accelerate implementation. This comes within strategic plans aimed at diversifying income, developing infrastructure and achieving sustainable development in line with the New Kuwait 2035 Vision. Governmental steps include the connection between recent legislative and regulatory reforms, the expansion of strategic development partnerships, efforts to accelerate major projects and encouraging economic indicators. As part of this growing momentum, a Ministerial Committee for Monitoring Agreements with China held 22 meetings in which it outlined four main tracks to boost economic development. These include accelerating coordination and consultations with China, increasing technical teams' visits, removing obstacles facing projects, setting plans and priorities, and supporting ministries and government agencies responsible for implementing memoranda of understanding (MoUs). Government efforts have made notable progress in the implementation of the strategic Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, based on the MoU with China, leading up to the signing of the execution contract last March. In the field of environmental infrastructure, the government is reviewing a detailed report prepared by a Chinese delegation that includes an action plan for bilateral cooperation in land reclamation. It also discusses implementation plans for projects to develop and rehabilitate ecosystems, expand afforestation programs, protect the environment and combat sand encroachment. His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah emphasized that the positive indicators in economic growth and attracting foreign investments confirm the government's steady progress and the ministerial committee's success in achieving the objectives of the comprehensive plan in all development paths, in line with the vision of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Kuwait recently enhanced its international partnerships by elevating its historic relationship with Japan to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This step aims to deepen the development and economic impact of cooperation between the two countries. Accordingly, the two countries intend to solidify their comprehensive strategic partnership across all economic, trade, investment, renewable energy and petrochemical sectors. One of the most prominent projects is the second and third phases of the Al-Zour North Power Plant. It is one of the country's largest electricity projects and aims to meet the growing demand for power and water, while providing infrastructure for development projects. This project encourages private sector participation, leveraging its expertise to reduce the costs of building and operating power stations, accelerate completion, and optimize the use of natural resources. It also reflects the government's direction to involve the private sector in infrastructure development, helping reduce cost, speed up delivery, optimize resource use and attract foreign investment. As part of its ongoing evaluation of project implementation, the government is recording all projects and contracts across ministries and agencies, preparing detailed lists of ongoing construction projects and related contracts, in addition to future projects, to monitor implementation mechanisms on the ground. This step aims to create an accurate database that enables decision-makers to assess actual performance, ensure proper coordination among entities, and avoid overlapping responsibilities or duplication. The government follows a unified methodology for integrating projects and initiatives into strategic plans. This includes phased goals with timelines, measurable key performance indicators and the identification of relevant coordinating entities. Adopting new financing initiatives to support and implement major projects is also a core pillar of the government's strategy, particularly in energy, transportation, infrastructure, smart cities and industrial zones. The government aims to reduce the burden on the public budget by around 30 percent, attract private and foreign investments worth up to 10 billion Kuwaiti dinars, generate annual revenues of KD one billion by 2030 and create more than 50,000 job opportunities. The government has successfully implemented a package of legislative and regulatory reforms to support economic reforms. These include a real estate brokerage system, a smart licensing project, amendments to the Companies Law, a project for taxation of multinational groups, and launching the first steps of the Real Estate Developer System. Recently, Kuwait launched the second part of the third phase of the Capital Market Development Program, one of the strategic projects of the Capital Markets Authority included in the state's development plan. It aims to build the regulatory and infrastructure framework necessary for upgrading Kuwait to be among advanced emerging markets, and to strengthen both local and international investor confidence. These integrated efforts are reflected in the expectations of international institutions. The World Bank forecasts that Kuwait's economic growth will rebound significantly to 2.2 percent in 2025, driven by the gradual lifting of production caps by OPEC+, expansion in non-oil sectors supported by credit growth and major infrastructure projects. In its recent report issued by the regional office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, titled "Smart Spending and Stronger Economic Outcomes: Fiscal Policies for Gulf Prosperity," the World Bank projected that economic growth would remain stable at 2.7 percent during the period 2026-27. It stated that long-term economic prospects depend on the successful implementation of structural reforms and efforts to diversify economic activity. Meanwhile, S&P Global Ratings predicted continued economic growth in Kuwait thanks to its reforms, and EFG Hermes stated in its report that decision-making in Kuwait has improved significantly. The current focus is on government projects and the passage of key laws. Hermes also predicted that this environment would support credit growth in the banking sector for several years and raised its forecast for overall banking sector growth starting from 2026. Kuwait's annual development plan for 2025-26, approved last March, includes an unprecedented number of construction projects, 69 under the budgets of ministries and government departments, 21 for affiliated entities and 34 for independent institutions. Kuwait signed several MoUs with China in 2023, covering the implementation of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project, cooperation in electricity, housing development, wastewater treatment, free zones, economic zones, renewable energy projects, and collaboration on a low-carbon green system for waste recycling. All KUNA right are reserved © 2025. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
India passes bill banning money-based online games, app shutdowns loom
India's parliament on Thursday passed a bill to ban online games played with money in a move that threatens the survival of the popular fantasy gaming sector, after the government flagged the high risk of financial and psychological harm. The sudden ban has shocked the industry, which was set to be worth $3.6 billion in India by 2029, with executives fearing job losses and the complete shutdown of their apps the moment the president signs the bill, which, although there is no set date, is considered a formality. India's upper house of parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 after the lower house cleared it earlier this week with the support of lawmakers. The bill prohibits "harmful" online money gaming services, advertisements and financial transactions related to them, with the government citing the psychological and financial harm they can cause. Gaming industry executives have said they fear the loss of billions of dollars of foreign investment, from venture capital firms like Tiger Global and Peak XV Partners. Endorsements by top Indian cricketers and other marketing efforts have boosted the appeal of, and investor interest in, gaming apps such as the popular fantasy cricket games operated by startups Dream11 and Mobile Premier League. Dream11 commands a valuation of $8 billion while Mobile Premier League is valued at $2.5 billion, PitchBook data shows. Other popular gaming apps in India include Zupee and Games 24X7.
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Higher Education and Training on appointment of administrators to Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), Local Government SETA (LGSETA), and Construction SETA (CETA)
The Department of Higher Education and Training announces that, following consultation with the National Skills Authority (NSA) in terms of Section 15(1) of the Skills Development Act, the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, MP, has appointed administrators to the Services SETA, Local Government SETA (LGSETA), and Construction SETA (CETA). This intervention follows serious and entrenched governance failures in these entities, including procurement irregularities, lapses in oversight, and board instability, which threatened their ability to deliver on their mandate to advance skills development. The following appointments have been made: Mr Matjie Lehlogonolo Alfred Masoga – Administrator of the Services SETA Mr Dithabe Oupa Nkoane – Administrator of the Construction SETA (CETA) Mr Zukile Christopher Mvalo – Administrator of the Local Government SETA (LGSETA) 'This decision marks the first step in stabilising SETA governance. We cannot allow governance failures to erode the public's confidence in our skills development system. These administrators have a clear mandate to restore integrity, enforce consequence management where necessary, and ensure that learners and workers are not prejudiced by institutional weaknesses. Our goal is to reposition SETAs so they can contribute effectively to the fight against unemployment, poverty, and inequality,' said Minister Buti Manamela. Brief biographies of the administrators Mr Matjie Lehlogonolo Alfred Masoga is a seasoned public leader with extensive experience in governance, economic development, and strategic management. He is the former CEO of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ SOC), Group Executive at the Limpopo Economic Development Agency, and former Deputy Speaker of the Limpopo Legislature. He holds multiple postgraduate qualifications, including a Master of Management in Governance and Public Leadership, and is currently a PhD candidate in Public Affairs. Mr Dithabe Oupa Nkoane has more than 20 years' experience in public administration, governance, and infrastructure development. He has served as Municipal Manager and Section 139 Administrator at Emfuleni Municipality, Acting City Manager of Tshwane, Head of City Planning in Ekurhuleni, and CEO of the Municipal Demarcation Board. He holds a Master's degree in Town and Regional Planning and has extensive experience in financial recovery, organisational turnaround, and spatial development. Mr Zukile Christopher Mvalo is the current Deputy Director-General for Skills Development at the Department of Higher Education and Training, with direct oversight of all 22 SETAs, the National Skills Authority, and the QCTO since 2013. He has a strong legal background, holding an LLM, LLB, and Postgraduate Diploma in Employment Law, alongside a Master's in Public Administration. He has also held senior executive roles in local government and corporate services. Mandate of the administrators The administrators' mandate is to: Restore governance and financial integrity in line with the PFMA Enforce consequence management where wrongdoing is found Ensure core programmes, including learner support and employer partnerships, continue without disruption Oversee the proper reconstitution and appointment of new Accounting Authorities The Minister wishes the administrators well in the execution of their duties. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.
