Kuwait Moves Toward Education Reform with New Ministry Framework

05/07/2025

Kuwait Moves Toward Education Reform with New Ministry Framework

KUWAIT CITY, July 5: Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaei has approved the new organizational structure of his ministry, which includes three articles on educational reform and development of the administrative system. The ministry confirmed that the decision is based on a comprehensive technical study on its needs and administrative structure, indicating this is one of the reform measures that the minister has been pursuing in order to improve institutional performance and modernize the educational work environment to meet the requirements of the next phase. It also reflects the high directives of the political leadership regarding the development of the administrative system of the country.

The ministry added that the new organizational structure entails a move toward implementing effective governance principles. The number of leadership positions has been reduced to just three — an undersecretary and two assistant undersecretaries, each overseeing one of the two main sectors: the Educational Affairs Sector, and the Administrative and Technical Affairs Sector. Each sector has eight general departments, bringing the total number of general departments to 16. The structure includes the redistribution of sectors and the merger of some, ensuring clarity of powers and tasks, enhancing administrative efficiency, and reducing overlap and duplication of responsibilities.

The ministry emphasized that the adoption of the new organizational structure is a pivotal step in the process of modernizing institutional work. Through this structure, it intends to establish a flexible administrative environment that keeps pace with educational and administrative developments, supports digital transformation efforts, and improves the quality of services in the educational field. It pointed out that the new structure is a qualitative shift in administrative performance and reflects a comprehensive reform vision based on specialization and integration. It also lays the foundation for an effective institutional transformation that achieves efficiency and quality in educational and administrative services.

Article One of the decision stipulates the adoption of the organizational structure of the ministry. Article Two details the responsibilities of all organizational units under the approved structure. Article Three mandates all relevant entities to implement the provisions of this decision from the date of its issuance, repealing any previous decisions that conflict with its contents.

The following are details of the new organizational structure of the ministry:

Office of the Minister of Education: consists of six departments — Office of the Minister; Education and Administrative; National Commission for Education, Science and Culture; Legal; Public Relations and Educational Media; and Inspection, Audit and Gifted Office.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education: supervises two main sectors — Educational Affairs Sector and the Administrative, Financial and Technical Affairs Sector. Each sector has eight general departments in charge of various areas of educational and administrative work
Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs: supervises eight general departments — Special Education; Educational Technologies and Libraries; School Activities; Educational Districts; Religious Education and Special Education; Psychological and Social Services; Technical Guidance, Research and Curricula; and Evaluation and Measurement. ■ Educational Districts General Department: supervises the directors of educational and administrative affairs in the six educational districts. These directors oversee five supervisory offices; four specializing in educational levels, and one for administrative and technical affairs. This contributes to improving work efficiency and achieving integration between the sectors of the ministry and the educational field.
Organizational Structure of School Administration: In a of-its-kind step in the history of the ministry, a clear organizational structure was created for school administrations, including three assistant directors for the educational levels from primary to secondary. The ‘Assistant Administrative Director’ position was created to reduce the administrative burden on the teaching staff and enable teachers to devote themselves to educational and teaching work. The Performance Improvement Division was also incorporated under the supervision of the school principal.
Religious Education and Special Education General Department: The Religious Education and Special Education departments were merged into a single general department supervised by the Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs.
Psychological and Social Services General Department: Its organizational level was raised to become a general department overseeing three specialized departments — Technical Guidance Department for Social and Psychological Services, Social and Psychological Services Department for Educational Districts, and the Psychological and Social Services Department at the head office.
Technical Guidance, Research and Curricula General Department: established as an independent administrative entity. The amendment includes the integration of the Research and Curricula Department to unify educational efforts within a single organizational framework supervised by a specialized director general.
Evaluation and Measurement General Department: tasked to develop educational assessment tools according to scientific standards with three departments — Students Measurement and Evaluation Department, Teachers Department and Curricula Department • Educational Technology and Libraries General Department: The Educational Technology and Libraries departments were merged into one, responsible for providing educational technologies and resources to all districts.
School Activities General Department: it includes the Scouts and Guides departments with expanded powers, along with the educational districts.
Assistant Undersecretary for Administrative, Financial and Technical Affairs: supervises eight general departments: Educational Facilities and Projects General Department, Financial Affairs General Department, Human Resources General Department, Services General Department, Technology and Information Systems General Department, Supplies and Warehousing General Department, Development General Department, and Planning General Department.
Educational Facilities and Projects General Department: supervises nine departments — Design and Contracts, Maintenance, Projects and six engineering affairs departments in the educational districts.
Technology and Information Systems General Department: supervises two departments in charge of all technical aspects and beneficiary support in the educational districts.
Planning General Department: its organizational level was raised to emphasize the importance of strategic planning. It supervises two departments and two monitoring units — Monitoring of Educational Policy Development and Monitoring of Educational Evidence Management
Human Resources General Department: oversees two departments — Budget and Recruitment, and Selection and Employment Affairs, each of which is divided into units in charge of recruitment, attendance and promotions.
Services General Department: Its organizational level was raised to provide better services commensurate with the large size of the ministry.