‘Low rating in science and maths has woken our education officials’
Ministry looking into proposal to reschedule final exams
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: Outcome of international tests that put the country at a rear position in science and mathematics has woken our education officials from slumber. It is high time they use cautery to treat the wound by reviewing lapses that led to the deteriorating standard of education, reports AlRai daily.
Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education Dr Haitham Al-Athari emphasized the need to evaluate the country’s capacity in competing internationally in learning and education on the whole. He stated reasons for the low rating and weak points should be identified in order to pinpoint lapses that put the country in such a backward position.
He has since set up a committee for that purpose, and the responsibilities of the committee entail analyzing contents of the science and mathematics syllabi, and putting them to the test at Arab and international levels to ensure they satisfy the required standards.
The committee should also identify the rate at which education policies and systems in Kuwait conform to what is obtainable within the international community as regards the aforementioned subjects, he noted.
Meanwhile, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education Fatma Al-Kandari said the ministry is looking into a proposal to reschedule final examination period for secondary schools before Ramadan, reports Al-Anba daily.
Sources said the proposal will be submitted to the concerned authorities such as the educational districts and technical instructors. As part of Kuwait University’s keenness for the safety of students in the university, the Safety and Security Department organized a workshop on fire prevention and ways to extinguish fire. The workshop was organized for students of Faculty of Pharmacy at Kuwait University on Feb 2. Information about different types of fire extinguishers, different kinds of fires and the factors that contribute to spread of fire were covered during the workshop, along with information about precautionary measures to be taken to avoid fire accidents. A practical
training on the use of fire extinguishers was also given.
Sources pointed out that conducting the final examination earlier than the original schedule entails reduction of school days and early end of the academic year.
Furthermore, Al-Resala Bilingual School organized the Fourth National Festival for Traditional Kuwaiti Crafts with the theme, “Forefathers’ authenticity in our grandchildren’s hands,” under the patronage and in the presence of Assistant Undersecretary for Private and Qualitative Education Dr Abdul-Muhsin AlHuweila.
Speaking to the press during the event, Al-Huweila pointed out that the festival has a deep place in the hearts of Kuwait’s people as it cements values inherited from their forefathers. He said this indicates the authenticity of the people of Kuwait
by looking back to the good old days and transmitting them to the present and the future.
He added the festival consists of various traditional activities of forefathers in the past in terms of their livelihood.
On increasing fees in private schools, Al-Huweila affirmed there is no intention to increase school fees for the next academic year and no decision has been taken in this regard so far.
Meanwhile, an official source from the education sector denied the allegation that a ministerial decision will be taken to fast forward the second term examination dates for secondary schools to ensure that high school candidates seat for the exams before Ramadan which will start in mid-May.