KUWAIT : Assistant General Manager for Planning and Survey Affairs at Kuwait Municipality Eng Ghassan Al-Thaqeb has confirmed the closure of seven private schools in Al-Jabriya and Al-Surra in accordance with a decision issued by the Municipality Council banning the operations of private schools in residential areas, reports Al-Anba. Responding to the query of Municipality Council member Eng Abdul Aziz Al-Shaiji, Al-Thaqeb explained the Municipality discussed the issue with the concerned authorities at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education on Aug 27, 2007. The Council ordered the closure of the schools on grounds that the Municipality allocated lands for these schools seven years ago but the owners of these schools failed to comply with the condition on the construction of school buildings within one year after receiving the lands.
The Ministry said the schools affected by the Council's decision include Fajr Al-Sabah Private School, Modern English School, Al-Jabriya Indian School, Private English Academy and Iranian Private School in Al-Jabriya in addition to Islamic Al-Jeffery Private School and Al-Tadamum Private School in Al-Surra. Sources from the Ministry revealed the owners of these schools have no other option but to start the construction of school buildings in the allocated lands within one year and transfer to these areas within a maximum of seven years.
Meanwhile, the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training PAAET has been given the nod by the Kuwait Municipality to establish new institutions and faculties on 500,000 square meters land south of Al-Oyoun zone and north of the Sixth Ring Road in Jahra governorate, Al-Qabas daily quoted sources as saying. The director of the department Abdullah Al-Nomes, further stated that the institutions and faculties would accommodate about 8,000 students and offer different course principally technology studies, health, education and commerce. He added, "Our aim is to provide state of the art learning facilities and reduce the current problems whereby students have to commute long distance to the present location". He added that the department is coordinating with other related agencies notably the Government Manpower and Restructuring Program GMRP and other agencies in order to complete the project on schedule.
In another development, Minister of Public Works and State Minister for Municipality Affairs Eng Mussa Al-Sarraf has forwarded a complaint filed by a car rental company, which rent out cars to Kuwait Municipality, against one of the Municipality employees to the General Manager, Eng Ahmad Al-Sabeeh, reports Al-Watan. The complainant claimed the employee misused the car issued to him and committed around three traffic violations per month. The company said the attitude of the employee has negatively affected its relations with the General Traffic Department (GTD) and demanded for the driving license of the employee, which will be presented to GTD, to avoid closing the company's file at the department.
© Arab Times 2008
