'Kuwaitis Sent Abroad For Training'
KUWAIT CITY, July 22: Expatriates constitute 7.6 percent of the total workforce at the Ministry of Higher Education (MoEH), reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting Minister of Education and Higher Education Ahmad Al-Mulaifi. In response to the question posed by MP Mohammad Al-Huwailah on the number of employees in the ministry, Al-Mulaifi revealed there are only 64 expatriates out of the 842 workers, while there are 778 Kuwaitis (254 men and 524 women). He said three consultants are being paid through the allowance system, alongside two accountants hired to train Kuwaiti workers, due to their vast experience in the field.
On the Kuwaitization of workers at the ministry, Al-Mulaifi explained the process entails training national staff to replace foreigners, affirming the ministry is benefiting greatly from the experience of expatriates.
On the technical colleges, Al-Mulaifi asserted the Kuwaiti graduates from these colleges are being sent abroad to enhance their skills and return to the country to replace the expatriate teaching staff.
Meanwhile, the Kuwait University (KU) Council has approved the proposed construction of a new public university, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
The council also decided to admit 8,000 students, without discounting the possibility of increasing this number by 7.5 percent later. Official spokesman of the university Faisal Maqseed said KU has started looking into various strategies to increase its capacity to accommodate more students in the coming years. He added Minister of Education and Higher Education Ahmad Al-Mulaifi has approved the formation of an executive bureau in charge of the construction of the new university.
Maqseed added the council has approved the recommendation to increase the allowances for the scientific missions of faculty members and researchers. An additional bonus has also been approved to attract competent and highly-qualified faculty members. The proposed fund to support student research projects and other research facilities has also been approved by the council, he concluded.
© Arab Times 2011
