Investing in Human Capital is a National Duty
No one disputes that Kuwaiti citizens should be at the forefront of the labor market, and that investing in Kuwaiti human capital is a non-negotiable national duty. However, the real question is: Does the current approach to job Kuwaitization achieve this goal, or does it create a new crisis that is difficult to resolve? The problem is not with Kuwaitizing jobs per se, but with reducing it to a numerical target, as if the success of institutions is measured by the number of Kuwaitis on payroll lists rather than by productivity, efficiency, and service quality. When percentages take precedence over performance, we are not building an economy; we are merely constructing paper figures.
Kuwait has never risen by excluding anyone; rather, it has advanced through the intellect of its sons and daughters and by leveraging the expertise that contributed to building its institutions since the establishment of the modern state. Therefore, any employment policy must be based on knowledge transfer, the qualification of Kuwaitis, and their preparation to lead various sectors, rather than on replacing one employee with another without a clear plan or a well-considered transitional period. It is lamentable that some entities have come to view Kuwaitization as an end in itself, while neglecting more critical questions: Have we developed education? Have we prepared the required competencies? Have we provided genuine training? Have we linked promotions to productivity and achievement? If the answer is no, we are merely postponing the problem rather than addressing it.
Societies are not built on slogans, but on work and merit. When young people feel that jobs are granted solely on the basis of nationality rather than competence, the value of diligence declines, the culture of competition weakens, and professional ambition becomes less prominent. This is where the real dysfunction begins, as it undermines the value system before it damages the economy. What Kuwait needs is not just a campaign to Kuwaitize jobs, but a national project to Kuwaitize knowledge, leadership, management, and innovation. We want Kuwaitis to compete because they are the best, not because they are the only option, and to lead institutions because they are the most qualified, not because they have met a quota in an administrative report.
Protecting society begins with safeguarding the value of competence. Strong nations are measured not only by the percentage of citizens in employment, but by their capacity for production, creativity, and innovation. If we lose this standard, we risk weakening our institutions from within, regardless of how glittering the slogans may be. Therefore, genuine reform must begin with rethinking the very philosophy of employment, ensuring it is based on qualification, knowledge transfer, fair competition, and linking performance to accountability. Only then will job Kuwaitization become a means of state-building, rather than merely a political or administrative label, and will policy shift from a race for numbers to a national project that creates a stronger, more sustainable economy.
