KUWAIT CITY, April 13, (Agencies): Kuwait’s Ministry of Education appealed Wednesday to expatriate teachers to stick to educational process, and keep away from harming it, stressing the necessity of securing educational stability.

“Any demands must come through the legitimate channels of the state,” a statement by the Public Relations, and Educational Media Department said here Wednesday.

The statement, which came as a comment on what was published by some local newspapers Wednesday on the non-Kuwaiti teachers calling for more financial advantages, stressed the necessity of “respecting the provisions embedded in the contracts.” This came in a message directed by the ministry to some expatriate teachers who ignored the legitimate channels represented by the Ministry of Education, Kuwait Teachers Society in spite of the signed contracts which ensure all rights on condition of abiding by due responsibilities without encroaching upon the legal rules.

The statement said that the ministry is committed to three rules in accordance with signed contracts, namely monthly salary, increments, air tickets, and house allowance.

Finally, it said that rights entitled to non-Kuwaiti teachers are embedded in the provisions of second contract, “though the ministry called for increasing their salaries, and allocations in order to encourage them to exert further efforts, and also called for increasing their house allowance in order to provide them with an atmosphere of psychological stability.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education intends to conduct a comprehensive study, in coordination with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) and Nutrition Department, on obese and overweight children aged seven to nine years, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily quoting General Supervisor of the Family and Consumer Affairs Unit Amani Mahdi.

Mahdi explained the study is aimed at raising awareness among the students and their parents or guardians on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, taking into consideration the child’s height, weight, body mass, bone structure and the nutrients he needs to grow naturally.

 She said the results of this study will be used to prevent diseases related to obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.

Confirming the ministry has started its public awareness campaign on obesity, Mahdi revealed several meetings were held with the students and parents in a number of schools to discuss the harmful effects of obesity and ways to maintain the ideal weight.  She said the campaign includes recording the weight, height and body mass of the students in accordance with the guidelines set by the World Health Organization, in addition to taking their urine samples.