KUWAIT CITY, Sept 5: Over 30 foreign private schools have been affected by the failure to renew their licenses and rental contracts, despite the start of the new academic year. Noura Al-Ghanim, head of the Private Schools Union, described the situation as unprecedented in the history of private education during an interview with Al-Rai.

The crisis has also impacted the schools' ability to renew the residency permits of their employees, leading many educational institutions to file complaints with the union. Al-Ghanim explained, "More than 30 schools have not renewed their leases, and as a result, their licenses remain unrenewed, which has affected the educational process in these schools. This has never happened before."

Al-Ghanim further elaborated that one of the key problems stemming from the lack of license renewals is the inability to renew staff residency permits. She pointed out that a one-year license renewal is insufficient to secure two- or three-year residencies for employees, especially in foreign schools, where teachers are typically contracted for at least two years. "Teachers are unwilling to relocate for just one year or a few months," she noted.

She criticized the Ministry of Education for delays and negligence in decision-making, warning that the situation could lead to a loss of skilled educators. "Many new teachers may opt to leave for neighboring countries that are actively seeking qualified professionals," she said.

Al-Ghanim attributed the current crisis to the previous administration, which she claimed had weakened the private education department by reducing its staff and appointing unqualified leaders who lack an understanding of private school operations. She expressed hope that the newly appointed Acting Minister of Education, Dr. Nader Al-Jalal, would resolve the crisis and restore normalcy, stating, "He came to us like a blessing from the sky to fix the situation."