KUWAIT: Acting Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr Nader Al-Jallal said on Saturday that Kuwait proudly appreciates teacher’s efforts in the educational sector. He emphasized that the attention given to education is a reflection of the generous patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Acting Minister Al-Jallal said in a press statement issued by the Ministry of Education on World Teachers’ Day, which falls on October 5, that education is one of the most important pillars on which national renaissance depends. He said that the official annual teachers celebration held by the Ministry of Education embodies His Highness’ keenness to follow up on their affairs and support them in all local and international events.

The 2024 celebrations of World Teachers’ Day will focus on “valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education,” aiming at empowering teachers by providing them with opportunities to express their visions, celebrate their achievements, and address the challenges they encounter. On this occasion, we reflect on Kuwait’s rich history of educators, beginning with the “muallim” or “mulla,” whose role in the mosque extended beyond leading prayers to include preaching, teaching religion, reading the Quran, and instructing in calligraphy, ensuring both its quality and beauty.

Therefore, the mosque is considered the first stage of education in Kuwait. Teaching during this era was often a family profession, with prominent families in Kuwait, such as the Al-Adasani, Al-Faris, and Al-Qenaei families. Notable female educators included, Muneera Al-Dukhan, Fatima Al-Mesbah, Lulwa Al-Bannai, Maryam Al-Yaqoub, and Hessa Al-Hanif.

Al-Mubarakiya Boys School had three prominent teachers in 1911, including Sheikh Yousef bin Essa Al-Qenaei, who devoted his efforts to establishing schools in Kuwait, Omar Al-Azmiri, who was known for his beautiful voice in reciting the Holy Quran, and Saleh Al-Saleh. At the Ahmadiyah School for Boys, founded in 1921, prominent teachers included Abdulaziz Al-Rashid, Ahmad Al-Khamis, and Haji bin Haji. Meanwhile, significant educators at the Murqab School for Boys in 1949 were Khalid Al-Masoud, Abdulrahman Al-Abduljader, and Abdulatif Al-Othman.

Among the prominent female teachers at the Middle School for Girls in 1937 were Maryam Al-Saleh and Badriah Al-Otaibi. At the Qibla School for Girls in 1950, notable educators included Suad Al-Rifai, Ghanima Al-Ghurbali, and Amal Jafar. Today, the Ministry of Education employs over 105,000 teachers.

World Teachers’ Day has been observed annually since 1994 to commemorate the signing of the UNESCO and International Labour Organization’s recommendation on the status of teachers in 1966. This recommendation sets benchmark indicators related to the rights and responsibilities of teachers, standards for their initial preparation and ongoing training, employment conditions, and the environment for teaching and learning. Additionally, the UNESCO recommendation regarding the status of teaching staff in higher education was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 recommendation concerning faculty and research positions in higher education. — KUNA