Ministry of Education Announces Conditions and Regulations for Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence: Recognizing National Competencies and Stimulating Distinctive Initiatives

The Ministry of Education announced the first Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence to honor excellence and creativity in the educational field, reflecting the ministry’s commitment to recognizing national talents, encouraging distinctive initiatives, and supporting outstanding educational practices, thereby contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals and aligning with Kuwait’s vision to build a world-class education system.

In a press statement, the Ministry of Education stated that Minister of Education Eng. Syed Jalal Al-Tabatabai issued a ministerial decision outlining the award’s conditions and regulations, specifying the eligible categories, the number of winners, and the monetary prize values, along with participation criteria and evaluation and adjudication mechanisms to ensure equal opportunities and reinforce the principles of transparency and objectivity in selecting winners.

The award comprises three main categories, with a total of 54 winners nationwide from public schools, religious education institutions, and special education schools, based on the geographic jurisdiction of each educational region. The categories are: Outstanding Learner, Outstanding Teacher, and Outstanding School Administration.

The Outstanding Learner category covers primary, intermediate, and secondary stages, with three winners per educational region, totaling 18 winners across the six educational regions. Each winner receives a prize of 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars.

The Outstanding Teacher category includes all three educational stages, with two winners per educational region, totaling 12 winners nationwide. Each winner receives a monetary prize of 3,000 Kuwaiti dinars.

The Outstanding School Administration category includes the principal and three assistant principals from primary, intermediate, and secondary stages, with one winning school administration per educational region. Each winning administration comprises four awardees: the principal and three assistant principals, bringing the total number of winners in this category to 24 across the six educational regions. The winning principal receives 2,000 Kuwaiti dinars, while each assistant principal receives 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars.

The ministry specified that applicants for the Outstanding Learner category must be Kuwaiti nationals, possess an exemplary behavioral record, and not have received any school disciplinary measures or decisions from the school disciplinary council. Additionally, they must have achieved a minimum of 95% of the total grades in all subjects during the three academic years preceding the nomination.

Regarding the Outstanding Teacher category, the ministry clarified that key eligibility criteria include Kuwaiti nationality, current employment with the Ministry of Education at the time of application, and an actual job performance evaluation rated as “excellent,” based on actual performance rather than honorary or exceptional assessments. Applicants must not have previously participated in or won the Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence in the same category within the period specified by the regulations. They must also have a minimum actual service duration in the education sector as stipulated in the executive regulations.

Further conditions include that the candidate must not have been sentenced to a penalty restricting liberty for a felony or a crime involving breach of honor or trust, unless their reputation has been fully restored, accompanied by a recent “no criminal record” certificate issued via the “Sahl” application. Additionally, the candidate must not have been subject to a disciplinary sanction that bars promotion, in accordance with Articles 67 and 68 of the Civil Service Regulations.

Concerning the Outstanding School category, the ministry stated that participating schools must be public schools under the Ministry of Education, must not have previously won or participated in the Outstanding Schools Competition, and must maintain a distinguished and documented performance record, supported by evidence and documentation.

It demonstrates the quality of its practices and outcomes. The ministry clarified that the Advanced School is required to achieve a distinguished level in the quality of education and learning, and to show a clear, measurable impact on improving student learning, in addition to excellence in school leadership, the educational environment, and student care. Furthermore, no final administrative or disciplinary penalty should have been issued against the school during the period specified in the regulations, while adhering to the approved evaluation, adjudication, and field visit standards for the award.

The Ministry of Education indicated that the nomination process will be conducted electronically through the dedicated platform, with applicants registering online and their official data automatically retrieved from the ministry’s systems. Required documents for each evaluation criterion will be uploaded, ensuring streamlined procedures, data accuracy, and standardized application pathways.

The ministry emphasized that the award is based on a comprehensive system of standards that enhance quality, innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, governance, institutional leadership, and the creation of sustainable educational impact. This contributes to building leading educational environments, empowering national talents, developing institutional performance, improving educational outcomes, and enhancing the readiness of educational institutions to keep pace with future developments.