Education ministry mulls post-COVID preparations

KUWAIT: Minister of Education Saud Al-Harbi met ministry undersecretaries to discuss a number of topics, on top of which was the use of around 360 school buildings by relevant authorities including ministries of health, interior and social affairs. In this regard, the ministry’s official spokesperson and assistant undersecretary for educational development and activities Faisal Al-Maqseed said the meeting also discussed schools’ readiness for post-coronavirus resumption and properly preparing these schools to receive students as healthy and safe educational facilities.

Maqseed also noted that the curricula and educational research sector is currently setting an interactive mechanism for the e-learning platform by providing interactive questions and databanks. “Material for the e-learning platform is currently being recorded and is expected to finish by mid-May,” he underlined. Maqseed added many other topics were discussed at the meeting, including instructing educational area directors to tend to some unfinished administrative work in their areas and to coordinate with the public education undersecretary to form a special workgroup to do so in each area.

Banks’ precautions Meanwhile, and responding to demands to open all bank branches to avoid crowding in some operational ones, Kuwait Banking Association (KBA) explained that since the beginning of this crisis, banks have been keen on balanced work to protect clients’ interests, reduce their burdens, keep their businesses going, implement all precautionary measures set to fight COVID-19 and protect the staff working in bank branches. KBA’s PR Manager Sheikha Al-Essa said since the crisis began, Kuwaiti banks were keen on opening some branches and kept increasing the number of these branches to reach up to 25 percent of the total, adding that all banks are also keen on providing easy, safe and 24/7 accessible e-banking services and responding to inquiries through their customer care centers. “Operational branches will be increased according to state instructions once they decide relaxing the precautionary measures,” Essa underlined.