Latest news with #IntegratedSystem
Gulf Insider
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Kuwait Allows School Principals To Approve Exit Permits For Expat Teachers
Kuwait's Ministry of Education has granted school principals the authority to approve exit permits for expatriate teachers and staff, eliminating the need for regional office involvement and ending a months-long administrative bottleneck that had disrupted travel plans for tens of thousands. Announced in coordination with the Civil Service Commission, the policy empowers school administrations to issue exit approvals directly via the government's Integrated System, part of an ongoing digital transformation effort. The change comes as the Ministry works to modernise internal operations and better serve a workforce that includes over 30,000 expatriate educators. 'The shift is aimed at reducing delays, simplifying procedures, and promoting administrative discipline,' said Acting Assistant Undersecretary for General Education Mansour Al Dhafiri in a directive to all education districts. He instructed officials to cease referring requests to central offices, in what is seen as a key step in empowering schools with greater administrative autonomy. Previously, expatriate educators were required to navigate a multi-layered process involving district visits and paper submissions. But the rollout of the 'Sahel' app, designed to facilitate electronic services, exposed technical issues in syncing teacher data with Civil Service Bureau systems, leading to mass confusion and widespread complaints. The Ministry responded with an urgent intervention led by Education Minister Dr. Adel Al Tabtabaei, who coordinated with the Civil Service Bureau to update records and restore functionality. Since then, hundreds of teachers have successfully processed their travel requests online, with the new procedure reducing foot traffic in administrative offices. Under the revised mechanism: · Teachers obtain Form No. 1 from supervisors. · Requests are submitted through the 'Sahel' app. · Principals approve applications directly via the integrated government portal. The reform is designed to reduce red tape, foster administrative discipline, and support more effective governance of the country's education sector. The Ministry has called on all schools to adhere to the updated procedures and confirmed that further enhancements to the digital system are under consideration.
Express Tribune
30-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Faisal Vawda alleges FBR officials threatened to kill him over vehicle procurement
Listen to article Senator Faisal Vawda has revealed that he received death threats from Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers after raising concerns about the purchase of 1,010 vehicles, a matter that was discussed in a Senate Standing Committee meeting. Vawda claimed he has evidence to support these allegations. The Senate Standing Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwala, convened to discuss the issue of the FBR's vehicle purchase deal. During the meeting, Vawda alleged that FBR officials threatened his life when he raised the issue, stating he was prepared to provide evidence. He named several FBR officers and revealed he has compiled a list of 54 corrupt officials, which he is ready to share. FBR Chairman, Rashid Langrial, expressed his concern over the allegations, stating that as a parliamentarian, Vawda's complaint should be taken seriously. "If you received threats, I could also be at risk. This matter will not be left unchecked. It will be sent to an investigation agency for a criminal inquiry," Langrial said. Vawda urged the government to act swiftly, stating that he had encountered similar situations during his time in office and did not want the matter to be delayed. The committee also addressed the issue of FBR officers conducting a raid on a multinational company's office. Committee members, including Farooq H. Naik, stressed that this was a sensitive matter and called for a criminal investigation, suggesting the case be referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Langrial assured the committee that a thorough inquiry would be conducted into the raid and said he would provide a complete report on the matter if they trusted him. If they preferred an investigation by another officer, he was open to that as well. Senator Shibli Faraz raised concerns about the vehicle purchases being made without competitive bidding, calling it a criminal issue that required investigation. Langrial assured the committee that the vehicle purchase process would remain on hold until all concerns were addressed. He urged that the matter not be delayed further. The issue of procurement process approval by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) was also discussed. Langrial clarified that while the law did not require prior PPRA approval, the process should have been reviewed by the PPRA board. He added that the finance minister should seek detailed information from PPRA regarding the vehicle purchase. Langrial also questioned why other government departments were not categorised in the same way as FBR officers in the Integrated System, expressing frustration over the lack of consistency across the board.
