MoE floats 3 new tenders to provide transportation services for students

Guides eyed for female students in buses

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 14: Assistant Undersecretary for Financial Affairs in the Ministry of Education Yousef Al-Najjar has confirmed floating three new tenders “to provide transportation services for students in educational districts and ministry schools,” reports Al-Rai daily.

In his statement to the daily, Al-Najjar disclosed the tenders are worth KD 18 million with new specifications prepared by the Public Services Department. He said the most important of these specifications is the installation of surveillance cameras in each bus to prevent sexual harassment.

Al-Najjar added the ministry “also requested the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to provide guides for female students in buses in order to increase the level of security and safety for the students.” He affirmed the bus guides – female Kuwaitis – will start working immediately after being nominated by the CSC.

He revealed the Ministry of Education registered three sexual harassment cases in the last academic year, involving school bus drivers assigned in some high schools for girls. He said these drivers were dismissed and huge fines were imposed on the concerned bus companies.

Meanwhile, Al-Jarida daily has reported that the first day of registration for those who wish to work as guides for female students in school buses witnessed a huge crowd of applicants. Around 600 female citizens have so far submitted their applications and 314 of them were accepted as they fulfilled all the requirements.

Recently, the CSC announced opening the registration doors for 2,000 female citizens interested to work as guides for female students as per the request of the Ministry of Education to provide such service to guarantee the safety of students inside buses, especially those transporting female students.

The requirements include holding certificates below high school and registration in the employment program for the CSC.

Moreover, sources close to the CSC said the new batch of nominees for government sector jobs will be announced soon. Sources said the number of those who will be nominated ranges from 4,300 to 4600. Sources added the list also consist of those nominated before the Eid Al-Adha holiday.