‘MoE’s plan to burden private Arab schools’ – Student density high

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KUWAIT CITY, Aug 21: The largest burden of the Ministry of Education’s plan for the 2021/2022 school year fell on private Arab schools with high student densities, reports Al- Rai daily. An educational source explained that before the start of the school year, many of these schools started developing plans and proposals to adhere to the required health requirements, the most important of which was to arrange for additional classes required in some private schools to adhere to the maximum number of students in each class, which is 20 students only.

The private education sector includes 179 Arab schools – 79 schools for boys, 52 for girls, and 48 mixed schools. The number of students of both genders affiliated with this system is 90,021, of which 18,718 are Kuwaitis and 71,303 are non- Kuwaitis. The number of students in some classrooms ranges between 38 to 44 students. By dividing the class into two groups “A” and “B”, an additional number of students will be produced. It is necessary to open special classes for them in the educational stages of high student density. The plan to divide the semester into two groups and dividing the school day into two morning shifts is a proposal presented by the General Department for Private Education in April to solve the problem of student density in Arab schools.

However, it was met with the rejection of some parents regarding the mechanism of sending their children to schools in two periods, especially since most of them are employees of government agencies. Arab schools, and other private schools are working from now on to prepare for the next school year. They have been creating the appropriate educational environment for a safe return, after the long months of closure. The department circulated bulletins in this regard to all schools, including following up on the school building in terms of installing air conditioners, doors, windows, lighting and furniture, as well as educational facilities, including scientific laboratories, halls, computer laboratories, libraries, prayer rooms, and physical education halls.

The source stressed that the General Department for Private Education will not tolerate any school that violates health requirements. He said the department will conduct inspection visits immediately after the start of the school year to ensure compliance with what has been stated in the ministerial bulletins, especially with regard to the cleanliness of the school buildings, and the application of physical distancing among students both in the classrooms or during entry and exit. Regarding the increase of school fees, the source denied any increase in Arab school fees for the next academic year, but that these schools canceled the discount rate of 25 percent that was applied exceptionally during the distance learning period. He affirmed that the fees will return to their previous rate prior to the issuance of the decision to regulate it.

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