Minister of Education Approves Guidelines for Awarding Excellence Bonuses to School and Kindergarten Staff

Alaa Khalifa: The Minister of Education, M. Syed Jalal Al-Tabtabaee, issued a decision regarding the regulations for granting financial bonuses for excellent services to employees in institutes, schools, and kindergartens for the academic year (2025/2026), in accordance with organized controls and standards that ensure the bonus is awarded to those who meet the prescribed conditions.

The Ministry of Education clarified that the decision specified the regulations for granting financial bonuses for excellent services to employees in institutes, schools, and kindergartens, whether they are members of the teaching or administrative staff, and those covered by Civil Service Council Decision No. (5) of 1980 regarding the annual academic leave for the academic year (2025/2026).

The Ministry indicated that the eligibility criteria for the bonus included that the employee’s appointment must have lasted for two years within the Ministry or with any other government entity, in the case of an employee transferred to the Ministry or seconded outside it, for those appointed on September 18, 2024, or earlier. This is in addition to receiving a “Excellent” performance evaluation for the eligibility year (2025/2026), and not having any active disciplinary penalties against them during the eligibility year, unless such penalties were expunged in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Law and regulations or annulled by a final court judgment.

The Ministry added that the decision also stipulated that the actual working days of the employee during the eligibility year must not be less than the percentage specified in Civil Service Council Decision No. (43) of 2016, which is 70%. This equates to 128 days for employees in the kindergarten stage, 131 days for employees in the primary and intermediate stages, 141 days for employees in the secondary stage, and 144 days for technical advisors.

The Ministry pointed out that the decision provided for excluding periods of work interruption, suspension from work, secondment, full-time dedication of all types and titles, missions, and leaves of all types and durations, in addition to official holidays, Fridays, and rest days, from the calculation of actual working days, except for sick leave during hospitalization periods within the eligibility year.

The Ministry further confirmed that the decision included several other controls, including treating those who are reappointed or contracted with as new employees when calculating the two-year period required for eligibility. It also stated that the eligibility of those referred to the Legal Affairs for the bonus would be decided immediately upon the completion of the investigation and the emergence of its results. The General Administration of Financial Affairs would hold the bonus amounts in trust accounts for two months for appeals, and for six months for those referred for investigation.

The Ministry clarified that the decision granted non-eligible employees the right to appeal within 60 days from the date of payment, by submitting an appeal request through the Ministry of Education’s website. It emphasized that no appeal requests would be accepted unless submitted electronically through the Ministry’s official website and within the specified appeal period.

The Ministry indicated that the decision stipulated that it is not permissible to combine this bonus with any other financial bonus for excellent services issued under other regulatory decisions.