Minister of Education Organizes Mechanisms for Transferring Arab Students to Non-Arabic-Speaking Classes in Foreign Schools
Kuwait’s Minister of Education, Sayyid Jalal Al-Tabataba’i, issued a ministerial decision today, Sunday, regulating the conditions and procedures for transferring Arabic-speaking students to non-Arabic-speaking learner (AFL) classes in schools with foreign curricula. The decision outlines the procedures for submitting, reviewing, and approving transfer requests, and specifies the eligible cases and required documents to complete the transfer process.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Education said the decision identified several cases in which an Arabic-speaking student may be transferred to non-Arabic-speaking learner classes. These include children of diplomats, students whose mothers are not Arab, and students who have resided outside Kuwait for at least three years and have not previously studied in Arabic-language schools.
The ministry noted that eligible cases also include students with a learning disability report certified by the Public Authority for Persons with Disabilities, a report from the relevant committee assessing their language proficiency, and those who have previously obtained approval to join non-Arabic-speaking learner classes.
It explained that transfer requests and their follow-up are processed electronically via the Ministry of Education’s website on the AFL platform. The procedure begins with the parent or guardian submitting a transfer request for the student and attaching the required documents and certificates. The request is then electronically referred to the General Directorate of Special Education to complete the review and verification of compliance with the stipulated conditions and to obtain the necessary approvals in accordance with established procedures.
The ministry added that regulating the mechanism for submitting and reviewing transfer requests aims to ensure procedural clarity, verify that applicants meet the specified conditions and criteria before approval, and enable parents or guardians to monitor the status of their requests electronically and complete procedures with the school after approval is issued, without the need for in-person visits.
The ministry further indicated that the decision also annuls all previous decisions and circulars that conflict with its provisions, and that its provisions shall apply from the date of issuance by all competent authorities.
