MoE readies guidelines for hike in ‘school fees’

Updated on: 25/05/2012

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MoE readies guidelines for hike in ‘school fees’ ‘Bylaws of CSC violated’

KUWAIT CITY, July 5: The Private Education Department at the Ministry of Education (MoE) is currently preparing a new set of guidelines for increasing fees in Arab and foreign schools to be implemented in 2013/2014 academic year, reports Al-Rai daily quoting Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs Fahd Al-Ghais.
Al-Ghais has outrightly rejected the request of private school owners to increase the fees by KD 82 for the primary stage, KD 88 for the intermediate and KD 142 for the secondary. He called on owners of private schools in the country to strictly comply with the regulations of the ministry to avoid legal problems. He explained the approved annual school fee increase is three percent for Arab schools and five percent for their foreign counterparts. He asserted this decision remains in effect until the implementation of the new guidelines in 2013/2014 school year. He affirmed the ministry will conduct a comprehensive study prior to the enforcement of these guidelines to protect the rights of students, their parents or guardians, and the schools.

Warning the ministry will take the necessary legal measures against those who violate the rules, Al-Ghais urged all the parents or guardians, who may have paid extra fees, to submit their complaints directly to the Private Education Department.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education is said to have violated the conditions and bylaws of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on stopping the appointment of retirees to benefit from their expertise, reports Al-Shahed daily quoting sources.
Sources revealed the ministry spent KD 51 million over the last years to grant monthly bonus to the retirees without legal backing. Sources said the ministry confirmed that the payment was made with the approval of the CSC and stopped when the latter issued a decision in this regard on Jan 1, 2010. Sources added the ministry is now waiting for a go signal from the commission to resume payment of the bonus.

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A School's Moral/Social Obligation to the Children Fred Jones | 7/6/2011 9:10:33 AM A school has a moral and social obligation to the children who attend a school and this is what is being overlooked by the Kuwait Authorities when addressing private schools. It is fine to increase school fees, however, you should be ensuring that a defined portion of school fees are going to the upkeep and social welfare of these children. There are school's in Kuwait that shamefully promote human rights violations against children by their total disregard to the safety of these children through the lack of basic upkeep in these schools. From broken playground equipment to algae ridden swimming pools, schools should be monitored for safety. Canteens in schools should be mandated to sell healthy food and chips, chocolates, fizzy drinks should be outlawed. Schools buses should all be mandated to be painted yellow with the Arabic/English writing on them that instantly differentiate them as school buses on the road. All bus drivers should have special licenses and all buses should have an effective woman monitor on all buses to safeguard the children. At the end of the day, schools do have a moral and social obligation to the children and they should not be run as money making enterprises for the Kuwaiti owners. The GPA in Kuwait is lowest in the GCC, so let's take a proactive role in ensuring that these children get a good education in Kuwait by monitoring these schools. These MOE auditors walk right past the dirty canteens, the broken toilets, the filthy water fountains, and go straight to the Arabic/Islamic religion departments as if that is the priority here, and let these Kuwaiti owner off the hook for inadequate campuses and inferior curriculums. If you raise the fees then you should take stronger measures on safeguarding the welfare of the students.

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