KUWAIT: Kuwait Teachers Society (KTS) made harsh accusations against Education Minister Saud Al-Harbi in a statement, arguing that Harbi had lost the teachers' trust because of his reluctance, weakness and inability to make decisive decisions concerning unresolved educational issues. The statement also accused the minister of lacking the vision and strategy on the future of education in Kuwait, failing to achieve justice and equality between public and private education students and failing to deal with the COVID-19 crisis when he suspended school. "Education will not revive the coronavirus setback under minister Harbi," reads the KTS statement published by Al-Rai daily yesterday.

KTS noted that it had previously recommended, underlined and then warned that the minister must be up to his responsibilities in general, and said that his alleged mistakes include disregarding the role of educational institutions including the Supreme Council of Education and the National Center for Education Development.

"Harbi has, without a doubt, proven his incapability to run the ministry and be involved in teamwork, which was clearly reflected by the ministry's senior officials' lack of knowledge about the decisions he makes except through social media networks," KTS added, noting that this reflects lack of coordination between the minister and ministry officials.

Foggy vision
In addition, KTS stressed that the education ministry seems to still have a foggy vision about the coming school year. "There is no clear planning concerning the mechanism of study in various stages. School administrations, teachers and parents are torn between ambiguity and perplexity," KTS added, urging legislatives and executives to "come to the rescue and save education from Harbi's leadership."

The Ministry of Education had announced on July 17 ending the 2019-2020 school year, and starting the 2020-2021 academic year virtually on October 4. Pre-school pupils, students of elementary and intermediate levels as well as high school students up to grade 11 were promoted to the higher classes at the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

As for grade 12, the remaining period of the second semester of the 2019-2020 school year was set at six weeks between August 9 and September 17, while curricula were amended in tandem with the complementary study period that will be via electronic means. Students' assessment will be on weekly basis through interaction and virtual presence at the set educational website.

The ministry is still expected to release regulations regarding the start of the 2020/2021 school year at foreign private schools. Earlier, the Ministry of Education had suspended classes at all public and private schools (for both students and teaching staffs); first from March 1 to March 12, and later extended it until March 29, before eventually suspending schools until August for grade 12 and October for other stages.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly is scheduled today to debate two grillings against Minister Harbi filed by MPs Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie, Khalil Abul and Ouda Al-Ruwaie, alleging mismanagement in handling the education ministry's response to the COVID-19 crisis, among other issues.

New teachers
In another report, Al-Rai quoted educational sources who said 250 new teachers and 170 social and psychological workers from GCC nationals, children of Kuwaiti women and bedoons have so far applied to work for the education ministry, and stressed that applications will remain open until the numbers the education ministry needs are hired. The sources added that the education ministry's administrative sector receives 30 to 40 applications a day, then refers accepted applicants to the public education and educational development sectors to arrange for interviewing them.

Meanwhile, the sources said the 'new school year preparation committee' re-formed by former minister Khaled Al-Azmi has started receiving reports from various schools about their needs of air-conditioners, water coolers, teaching and administrative staff members, nurses, cleaners, security officers, couriers, furniture and technological devices.

Finally, the sources expressed fears of cutting the education ministry's budget for the fiscal year 2020-2021, especially after appointing new teachers and staff members and adding them to the ministry's payroll that so far includes around 120,000 employees.