Kuwait's spending on the education sector is among the highest globally
The world is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the 1966 declaration by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designating September 8 as International Literacy Day, reminding peoples of the importance of this right as one of the fundamental human rights. Kuwait joins countries around the world in observing this day, which in 2026 is held under the theme “Literacy for People, Planet, and Prosperity,” to remind policymakers, specialists, and the public of the importance of literacy in building more sustainable, just, and peaceful societies, as well as in fostering reading and writing skills.
The UN agency is focusing its celebrations this year on assessing global progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and honoring the winners of UNESCO’s International Literacy Prizes, which are awarded to innovative programs in the field.
In Kuwait, this day coincides with a number of distinctive achievements aimed at enhancing the education process for all segments of society through increased budgetary allocations to the sector, alongside vigorous efforts to reduce the country’s illiteracy rate and the opening of several specialized centers for adult education. According to UNESCO’s 2024 data, Kuwait recorded near-complete literacy rates among women, with rising enrollment rates in higher education, particularly in scientific fields, reaching approximately 2%, while the illiteracy rate among men stood at about 0.14%.
Recognizing since the dawn of its renaissance the importance of education, Kuwait has prioritized it, facilitating all necessary means. This was accompanied by similar attention to providing educational opportunities for generations of parents who missed the educational train; thus, the Ministry of Education opened adult literacy and education centers across the country starting in 1957.
Since independence in the early 1960s, the country has seen the issuance of laws regulating the education process, including Law No. 11 of 1965 concerning compulsory education. Its first article stipulates that education shall be compulsory and free for all Kuwaiti children, both male and female, from the beginning of primary education through to the intermediate stage, with the state committed to providing school buildings, books, teachers, and all human and material resources necessary to ensure the success of compulsory education.
Kuwait recognized that obtaining advanced education and distinguished outcomes requires attention to educational spending; consequently, the education sector at all its levels has accounted for a high percentage of the state budget. Kuwait’s expenditure on the education sector is among the highest globally.
Kuwait’s efforts to eradicate illiteracy among its citizens have passed through three stages: the first began in 1950 and lasted until 1957; the second spanned from 1957 to 1981; and the third culminated in the issuance of the Literacy Eradication Law in 1981, which comprised 23 articles aimed at completely eliminating illiteracy.
Kuwait is advancing steadily in the field of literacy through the “New Kuwait 2035” development vision, which embodies all elements and provisions of sustainable development, particularly in developing human capital and providing inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education for all.
In 2025, Kuwait continued its efforts in education and literacy, with recent data showing a continued rise in literacy levels among society members, alongside the state’s ongoing allocation of a high percentage of its general budget to the education sector.
As the educational journey in the State of Kuwait continues to evolve to keep pace with modern changes, efforts to develop education are no longer limited to combating illiteracy and adult education; they have extended to employing technology and artificial intelligence and developing the learning environment.
In 2026, several educational initiatives and events reflecting this development emerged, most notably the launch on February 11 by the Ministry of Education of a project to implement artificial intelligence tools in collaboration with Google, aiming to utilize AI technologies in the educational process according to the latest international standards.
On May 4, the Ministry of Education approved the working hours for in-person classes at adult literacy and education centers, ensuring the continuity of the educational process and regular attendance for students, reflecting the Ministry’s ongoing interest in literacy and adult education programs and its commitment to providing an organized educational environment that enables learners to continue their studies.
