Kuwait's Civil Service Commission suspends expat teachers work permits

KUWAIT CITY - The Ministry of Education recently took a decision on the Kuwaitization of the team tasked to print exam questions, reports Annahar daily. The ministry is studying the possibility of removing employees occupying supervisory posts from the team and limiting the task of printing exam questions to teachers.

This came after acting Assistant Undersecretary for Public Education Fahd Al-Ghais discussed with the educational district directors the requirements to maintain secrecy of exam questions and prepare a report on forming the exam printing team.

They tackled the conditions for membership to the team, indicating the members should be Kuwaiti teachers and do not occupy supervisory positions except the directors of educational districts and exam monitors.

The meeting concluded that it is difficult to dismiss the heads of departments from the team as their presence is necessary, at least, during the final exams for the first semester as they have experience which can be transferred to Kuwaiti teachers.

The meeting also stressed the importance of dismissing managers and assistant managers of schools from the team, as well as the issuance of ministerial decisions in this regard including the new regulations.

Meanwhile, the suspension of work permit has become a stumbling block to local contracts for expatriate teachers due to a recent Civil Service Commission directive that prevents the completion of current contract procedures by the Ministry of Education, reports Al-Rai daily.

The daily quoting a source said the commission has canceled the ‘local contract exception’ earlier granted to the Ministry of Education. The commission has also turned down the applications of those whose academic qualification is different from professions stated in the work permit.

He said the teachers are in a difficult situation, because the ministry has yet to receive a copy of the decision. In a letter to Civil Service Commission, he explained that the teachers have lamented the decision, which they say came to them as a rude shock after satisfying all conditions – including readiness of the previous sponsor to sign their transfer. They also presented medical certificate and certificate of good moral conduct that required a trip to Egypt.