By Dr Nermin Al-Houti

We start our column with the question: Why was military education at schools cancelled? I started my column with this question due to the need of our society to bring back military service or military education, as it was called until the mid-80s. It used to give youth of both genders training, as girls were taught nursing and self-defense. For males, the curriculum included full military education, including how to handle arms. The curriculum used to instill strength and patriotism in our youth and teaches them to be independent. In fact, it used to be included in the final GPA for high school graduates, prompting them to take interest in the subject and perform outstandingly.

We ask again: Why this subject was excluded? Despite the need of our youth for it! When we train our youth to protect their country, we do not encourage going into wars. Rather we teach them the skills and values they need to protect the country, such as self-respect, adherence to rules and punctuality. The most important thing they gain out of this process is learning that there should be no discrimination between the two genders. They are all equals under the law, and all are at the service of the country, everyone working for the sake of Kuwait to preserve and protect it.

This is what we need now in our schools, which lack the most important thing: national identity. It is time to bring back the military education curriculum and develop it in a way that’s suitable for our time. Military education is considered one of the most important ways to teach our youth how to bear responsibility and feel committed to their homeland “Kuwait”. May Allah protect Kuwait, its leadership and people against all evil.

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