Compulsory Education... Kuwait's Investment In Human Resources, Future

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Muneera Al-Rabiah
KUWAIT, Sept 1 (KUNA) -- Compulsory education in Kuwait has been a cornerstone in building its society and investing in the country's human resources since the implementation of Law No. 11 of 1965, which stipulated that education would be compulsory and free for students from elementary school until the end of secondary school.
In this context, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) interviewed several educational figures and officials who touted compulsory education and its various benefits.
Compulsory education is the cornerstone upon which all thriving societies are built, said Dr. Yaqoub Al-Ghunaim, a former Minister of Education in 1981 and retired Arabic language teacher at Shuwaikh High School.
Dr. Al-Ghunaim stressed that history has shown the world that no true advancement could be achieved without proper knowledge and education, saying that countries that neglected education had suffered greatly.
He said that education was not only teaching subjects and moving on, but a process that instilled morals and ethics, which contributed to the rise of societies.
For her part, a member of the Board of Trustees at the Kuwaiti International Law School (KILAW) and Chairperson of the Kuwaiti National Society for the Protection of Children, Seham Al-Foraih, asserted that the first step to ensure human development came through bolstering education.
She cited in this regard the experiences of nations such as Singapore, which saw rapid progress by prioritizing education and academia.
Educational materials and curricula must be updated constantly to benefit all on the institutional and personal levels, she said.
Al-Foraih also called for eliminating mindless repetition of information and finding more creative ways to deliver educational materials, which is an important challenge facing the education process in Kuwait.
Commenting on Kuwaitآ's compulsory law, a member of the teaching staff at the Kuwait University (KU) College of Education, Dr. Waleed Al-Enezi affirmed that the law helped to reduce illiteracy in Kuwait, providing a viable opportunity for all to seek knowledge and education.
The law has had a vital social, economic, and legal impact on society, he asserted, saying that social development comes through educating the masses, which in turn boosts the economy.
Those who fail to abide by this particular law face legal consequences, including fines and other measures, he added.
Dr. Najah Al-Thydi, a member of the faculty at KU's College of Arts and Literature, said that compulsory education was not just a law that should be heeded; it is a strategic plan set by the state to ensure the country and society would thrive at all levels.
The state ensured access to education for all, and thus, members of society should seize the opportunity with all due seriousness to boost development in Kuwait for future generations, added the academic.
On challenges facing the law, she indicated that the rapid evolution in global education and information required continuous updates to curricula to ensure students and knowledge-seekers receive the latest data and material. (end)
mar

MENAFN01092025000071011013ID1110000441