MP queries on malpractices by teachers

KUWAIT CITY, April 23: Several MPs are planning to grill the acting minister of education and higher education Dr Mudhi Al-Humoud for an alleged dance party the school for girls in Rumaithiya organized on February 25 that involved male guests, reports Al-Rai daily.

MP Mohammed Hayef was quoted as saying the educational zones are used to holding similar parties since the Ministry of Education has declined to take legal action against officials to deter them from holding events that violate Kuwaiti values, traditions and edicts of Islam. He required the ministry must reprimand the director of the school.

According to MP Falah Al-Sawagh, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education must form a committee to investigate the issue, the officials should be held accountable for failing to perform their duties by approving parties that defy religious principles.

Meanwhile, MP Hussein Mezyad warned on the ministry disregarding the incidents taking place at the party. He confirmed that some students had danced at the party in the presence of men, and wondered how men were allowed to attend the party.

For her part, the director of Hawalli Educational Zone Mona Al-Salal said the school only held an educational exhibition that involved other performances, and refuted statements the lawmakers have made in the newspaper in that regard.

She maintained the activities involved recitations and national anthems, and according to director of the school, the exhibition was held to express love to the homeland and inculcate the spirit of loyalty in the students. She reiterated that Ministry of Education is keen on developing the educational system.

Meanwhile, MP Musallam Al-Barrak directed a parliamentary question to the acting Minister of Education Dr Mudhi Al-Humoud on malpractices by teachers in the private schools who detain students after the school hours or during the weekend as punishment. He said their actions negate civility and standard educational methods, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.

Al-Barrak said the action aims at diverting attention from bad decisions by the schools administration in recruiting unqualified teachers to make utmost financial gains at the expense of the students' future. He asked the minister to provide the list of names of private schools that punished students by detaining them after the official school hours and weekends, beginning academic year 2009.

In the meantime, MP Adnan Abdul Samad recently stated the Budget Committee of the Parliament will invite the lawmakers to deliberate the proper way of handling the accumulated final accounts caused by recurrent dissolution of the national assembly, government resignations, and subsequent formation of governments, reports Al-Jareeda daily.

MP Abdul Samad said the meeting aspires to benefit from diverse opinions of the lawmakers before the committee forwards its report to the Assembly. He expected immense turn out of colleagues to the meeting slated for Monday, saying the committee could concentrate on fresh final accounts if it's able to clear the amassed accounts, seeing that the Audit Bureau has prepared a vital report on the previous accounts.

© Arab Times 2011