Kuwait enhances teachers’ salaries and incentives

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 13: The official gazette, “Kuwait Al-youm,” published Decree-Law No. 86 of 2026, replacing Table No. 1 attached to Law No. 28/2011 concerning the granting of allowances and bonuses to Kuwaiti teaching staff members in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, reports Al-Seyassah daily. The amendments cover educational job titles, requirements for holding those positions, job-level and incentive bonuses, teaching allowances, and rare specializations.

Teacher (D):
■ University degree + one year of experience, or an educational diploma or equivalent + two years of experience.
■ Successful completion of the training program for trainee teachers.
■ Job-level bonus: KD 250.
■ Incentive bonus: KD 150.
■ Teaching allowance: KD 75.
■ Rare specialization allowance: KD 200.

Trainee Teacher:
■ University degree
This job level is initially assigned for a period of one year, during which the trainee teacher undergoes a training program.
The conditions, controls, and mechanism for successfully completing the program are determined by a decision of the Minister of Education.
The salary is determined according to the financial grade to which the trainee teacher is appointed. If the trainee teacher successfully completes the aforementioned training program, they will automatically advance to the next job level, in accordance with the conditions and controls established for each level, as well as any additional conditions set by the Civil Service Council and the Ministry of Education concerning advancement through the job levels. If the trainee teacher does not successfully complete the training program, they shall be transferred to an administrative position within the Ministry of Education if they hold a university degree in education (Bachelor of Education) from the College of Education at Kuwait University or the College of Basic Education at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training.

If they do not hold the aforementioned university degree, their papers shall be referred to the Civil Service Commission for placement in another government entity under an appropriate job title corresponding to their qualification. The trainee teacher is not entitled to the job-level bonus, incentive bonus, teaching allowance, or rare specialization allowance. Article 2: Any provision that contradicts the provisions of the schedule attached to this Decree-Law shall be repealed. Article 3: The ministers - each within their respective jurisdiction - shall implement this Decree-Law, which shall come into effect from the date of its publication in the official gazette.

Explanatory Note:
The explanatory memorandum to the Decree-Law explained that the Ministry of Education seeks to support teachers and provide them with all the means necessary to perform their mission, in recognition of their role in raising academic and cultural standards. This comes in light of the rapid changes in education, which have placed responsibilities on teachers that extend beyond the traditional framework of classroom instruction and require the development of tools and methods that keep pace with modern technologies.
The ministry is keen to invest in developing the skills of male and female teachers through advanced training programs and workshops that keep pace with modern developments, with the aim of improving the educational process and building a modern educational system based on the latest global standards. It pointed out that Law No. 28/2011, concerning the granting of allowances and bonuses to teaching staff members, as amended by Law No. 26/2016, aimed to provide stability for teachers and create a professional environment that makes the teaching profession more attractive.
This was intended to attract the competencies and qualifications required for the profession, encourage constructive competition among employees, and reward those who excel in the promotion process, leading to the approval of certain financial benefits for teaching staff members in the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. It also stated that Table No. 1 attached to that law included the titles of educational positions, ranging from Teacher (E) to Specialized Teacher (A), along with the requirements for each job level in terms of educational qualifications and years of experience. It also specified the value of the job-level bonus, incentive bonus, teaching allowance, and rare specialization allowance granted at each level.
The memorandum indicated that Law No. 86/2017, amending Law No. 28/2011, had previously replaced the two aforementioned tables with another table. The Civil Service System had established the general conditions for filling civil service positions and allowed government entities to add other requirements after consulting the Civil Service Commission. It also allowed the appointment of individuals who did not hold the required qualifications but had relevant experience or had successfully completed training courses for specific positions, in accordance with the rules and conditions established by the Civil Service Council.
The memorandum emphasized that the teaching profession has a special nature, given its importance and impact on shaping learners’ thinking. It is a comprehensive educational and pedagogical mission, not merely a matter of instruction, as it requires a combination of academic and educational skills, the ability to address and modify behavioral problems, as well as the capacity to plan and deliver lessons and evaluate students’ performance. The teacher must also serve as a role model for students in behavior and values, given their direct influence on shaping the student’s personality. This necessitates additional requirements for candidates applying for educational positions to ensure that the assigned duties achieve their intended objectives. It explained that Civil Service Council Resolution No. 2/1996, concerning the positions, allowances, and bonuses of teaching staff members, had previously specified the job levels for teaching staff and the requirements for each level. The new table accompanying the Decree-Law, however, specifies the job titles, requirements for holding them, and the amounts of job-level bonuses, incentive bonuses, teaching allowances, and rare specialization allowances.