Expat students dissatisfied with Kuwait school system

Expat students dissatisfied with Kuwait school system

By Zaid Aboobacker

KUWAIT: In the pursuit of preparing future generations, the school system is experiencing a wave of discontent. From rigid and color-specific dress codes to lack of opportunities, expatriate students are displeased with their schools. Students also do not see teachers as mentors who can guide them. They cannot be blamed for this mindset alone, as many teachers in Kuwait join as part-timers in schools with little to no experience in the field of teaching. Since these teachers ask for very little salaries, schools are more than happy to recruit them after seeing a bachelor’s degree.

Good teachers do exist, but they are few in number, according to students. One of the reasons good teachers aren’t arriving in Kuwait might be because of visa issues, which have a negative impact on teachers’ mental health because they are unable to bring their families to the country where they live. Schools are admitting more students than their capacity, which increases the student-to-teacher ratio in classes, consequently reducing the quality of education. Many teachers provide extra tuitions in their homes for an extra source of income. This might lead to teachers teaching less in school and focusing more on their tuitions.

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