Training institutes and centers gradually resume their activities September 3 .. MLSD Minister issues a circular obligating private training institutions with controls and requirements

01-09-2020

Acting on the directives of the Coordination Committee chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, to permit the gradual resumption of training institutes as of 3 September 2020 while curbing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID‑19), His Excellency Mr. Jameel bin Mohammed Ali Humaidan, Minister of Labour and Social Development, has issued an administrative circular to every licensed vocational‑training institution. The circular details the compulsory precautionary requirements and controls that must be observed from the moment on‑site training services restart and will remain in force until further notice. Humaidan explained that reopening the training sector serves the national interest because vocational training is essential for maximising human‑capital investment, upgrading professional skills and advancing careers in the labour market. He therefore stressed that strict adherence to all health requirements is mandatory for teaching staff, administrative personnel and trainees alike. Ministry inspectors will conduct periodic visits to verify compliance; any violation will trigger legal penalties, which may extend to the temporary closure of a non‑compliant centre. Under the circular, owners, managers, instructors and learners are obliged to implement every directive issued by the Ministry of Health, ensuring that anyone present on the premises is fully protected against the risk of COVID‑19 transmission.  The circular obliges every private training centre and institute to enforce a comprehensive package of health measures. All employees, instructors and trainees must undergo a temperature check at the entrance each day, and anyone registering more than 37.5 °C is denied entry. Suspected cases showing COVID‑19 symptoms or believed to have been exposed to an infected person must be reported immediately via the national hotline 444. Everyone on site must sterilise shared tools before and after use and comply with the Ministry of Health and National Campaign to Combat Coronavirus guidelines. Class sizes are capped at ten trainees per instructor, with a minimum physical distance of two metres maintained at all times. Premises—including classrooms, training areas, equipment, offices, devices and restrooms—must be disinfected regularly, and seating must be cleaned frequently. Protective face masks are mandatory for all staff and trainees, and entry is prohibited without one. In addition, centres may not provide snacks or beverages to trainees during their stay. The circular encourages institutes to continue and expand virtual training, allowing each programme to combine classroom and online instruction when appropriate, in line with the terms approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, Tamkeen, and the Education and Training Quality Authority under Circular 04‑2020. It also authorises on‑the‑job training to resume at workplaces, provided occupational health and safety requirements are strictly observed and all Ministry of Health and National Campaign to Combat Coronavirus guidelines are followed. In addition, institutes may administer international examinations either on a one‑to‑one basis or to small groups of no more than five persons, including the invigilator, while fully complying with the conditions set out in the decision.