KUWAIT CITY, March 9: Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Naif Al-Hajraf has submitted the draft law on private education to the head of Fatwa and Legislation Department concerning the issue of private schools in Kuwait, reports Al-Anba daily.

According to the draft law a private school cannot expand its premises, change its system or add an educational phase without a written permission from the ministry. Moreover, one license for a school can only include two successive educational phases.

He added the draft law necessitates granting the license to a Kuwaiti or GCC citizen who has been residing in the country for more than 30 years.

Moreover, he must not have acquired a license earlier to open a private school which was cancelled because he had violated ministry laws which were issued in this regard.

If so, the applicant has to wait for four years to apply for another license. Moreover, he has to provide a bank guarantee and an appropriate building as per the technical specifications allotted in this domain.
He added the draft law necessitates the applicant must not be a government employee and must hold an academic degree or educational diploma, must be well-mannered and has a good reputation. In other words, he should not have been involved in crime of honor or misdemeanor.

The study and examinations system in the private schools must be in liaison with the executive byelaw of this draft law.

Moreover, the draft law obligates the foreign schools to submit their curricula and books to the Ministry of Education for approval before introducing them in school.

In addition, it obligates these schools to teach the Holy Qura’an to Muslim students and Arabic as per the executive byelaw.