A more structured education system came into being in 1936,
when a Council of Education was set up. In 1956, the government
adopted a major education plan that divided formal education
into four categories: Kindergarten, with a duration of two
academic years; Primary with a duration of four academic
years; Intermediate, with a duration of four academic years;
and Secondary, with a duration of four academic years.
All schools and institutes, public and private, are subject
to regulations formulated by the Ministry
of Education and the Ministry
of Higher Education. The Private Education Department
of the Ministry
of Education supervises all foreign schools in Kuwait,
which must be registered with the Department.
Kindergarten
The Ministry provides free kindergartens for Kuwaiti children
between the ages of four and six. There are a large number
of expatriate schools for expatriate children, aged between
two and four years.
Elementary, Intermediate and Secondary Education
Primary education is a right and is offered free of charge
by the State. It is obligatory for all Kuwaitis from the
age of six to 14 attend school - primary school to the intermediate
school. Attendance at schools run by the State is limited
only to Kuwaiti children.
Private schools for Arab expatriate children receive generous
government support, land to construct schools, and free
textbooks. Some assistance is also provided to non-Arab
schools. Private schools for non-Arab children follow the
curricula of their respective home country.
The school year runs from about mid-September to mid-June.
Expatriate schools usually have three days off in October;
breaks of a fortnight each, twice a year; and all official
holidays. The school week is Saturday through Wednesday.
Most schools start at 7:45 am and finish at 2 pm, though
timings vary a bit between summer and winter and between
schools for different nationalities.
University and Adult Education
Kuwait University was established in 1966, with the aim
of providing academic, professional and technical rehabilitation,
and supplying the country with scientifically and practically
qualified manpower in different
fields. Kuwait University is open to expatriate students,
provided their grades meet the requirements for admission.
State-funded adult education and vocational training is
provided by the Public Authority for Applied Education and
Training (PAAET).
Additionally, there are several private institutions in
the country that offer a variety of full and part-time courses
in various subjects such as business studies, secretarial
skills, computing and languages.
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