KUWAIT: Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaei announced Sunday the implementation of the “national proctor” system, a new supervisory mechanism for monitoring exams in both public and private Arabic schools, including high school and middle school finals and midterms. The system will be managed directly by the ministry’s inspection and auditing office.

The announcement follows several decisions by the minister last week to ensure exam integrity, including the dismissal of employees from the printing press responsible for producing the exams due to conflict of interest.

In a statement on the ministry’s official social media page, the ministry outlined the proctors’ responsibilities, which include overseeing exam procedures to ensure compliance with regulations, monitoring exam committees and control centers, and supervising secure printing facilities. Proctors will also ensure transparency and integrity throughout the process, preparing daily reports for the inspection and auditing office and verifying decisions made by special exam committees regarding student assessments.

The ministry emphasized that national proctors must present their official ID and civil ID when assigned to their locations. It also urged exam committees, school control centers, and secure printing facilities to fully cooperate with proctors in accordance with applicable laws. Each proctor will sign a pledge of neutrality and commitment to maintaining the integrity of the exam process, avoiding conflicts of interest.

Proctor qualifications

Proctors were selected from experienced ministry staff with at least five years of experience in roles such as school director, assistant director, technical supervisor, department head, or teacher. Teachers whose subjects are included in the exam schedule for the committees they oversee were excluded from being selected as proctors. Additionally, 16 administrative supervisors and 215 national proctors have completed specialized training to ensure they carry out their duties professionally and with the highest standards of integrity.

The ministry stressed that the “national proctor” system represents a significant step in promoting fairness and integrity within Kuwait’s educational system. Directly overseen by the Ministry of Education, the system will strengthen trust in the educational framework through continuous monitoring and comprehensive reporting aimed at improving the exam process. The ministry urged all involved in the educational process to cooperate with the national proctors and provide the necessary support to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of exams.