Al-Sabaka, Al-Muqawala, and Al-Tawteen
My colleague and creative economic analyst, Mohammed Al-Baghlai, wrote an article addressing the issue of “Kuwaitization,” a topic frequently covered by numerous pens, opinions, and seminars. Al-Baghlai argues that Kuwaitization, at a rate of 100%, risks depriving many sectors and institutions in the country of vital expertise and diverse experiences. He does not view Kuwaitization as a flawed concept per se; rather, he considers it fundamentally sound in principle. However, he warns that state institutions must not be swept up in flashy, substance-free headlines or in uncalculated populist trends.
Many observers of the replacement or Kuwaitization issue share Al-Baghlai’s viewpoint. The goal here is not to approach the matter in purely numerical terms, but to assess and read the quality and value expected from it. I asked one manager of a large company in Kuwait about the company’s current ability to dispense with non-Kuwaiti staff. His response was negative, particularly regarding technical and specialized fields, as well as certain professions requiring specific expertise. What applies to this company applies equally to others and to government institutions.
No one objects to prioritizing employment for citizens or to granting nationals the right to hold positions across all sectors. However, Kuwaitization itself should not be merely a decision or a desire, but an integrated project encompassing all dimensions. It should not be measured by the number of jobs from which expatriates are excluded, but by the extent to which Kuwaitis can compete in those roles with efficiency and professionalism.
Perhaps the sector most affected by the accelerated, poorly planned implementation of Kuwaitization is education. In the early 1970s, the sector underwent rapid steps aimed at Kuwaitization, not as part of a comprehensive project to prepare qualified national cadres professionally and effectively to fulfill their role in the educational process, but merely to meet numerical targets and percentages. At that time, a graduate of the Teachers Institute who had completed two additional years after secondary school was deemed qualified to teach an entire generation. The objective was solely Kuwaitization, making numbers the measure of achievement. Indeed, the number of Kuwaitis in the education sector doubled at the time, but this was not achieved through a prolonged process of preparing, qualifying, and selecting teachers according to professional standards applied in educational sectors worldwide.
Since education is generally considered a three-legged institution based on the student, the curriculum, and the teacher—with the teacher being the most critical human resource—the absence of professional planning for Kuwaitization in this sector led to a problem and crisis whose repercussions on education in Kuwait are still visible today. A national project to Kuwaitize education then devolved into nothing more than percentages and figures, negatively impacting the quality of educational institutions.
We reiterate that Kuwaitization is a national project with no disagreement over its necessity. However, as a project, it requires study, planning, qualification, long-term vision, and clear criteria for competence, especially in sensitive areas such as education and health. Kuwaitizing supervisory positions in cooperative societies, supply centers, or the roles of mosque imams and callers to prayer, or in certain municipal sectors, is not equivalent to Kuwaitization in educational or health institutions, or in those requiring long-term technical and educational qualifications. There are sectors that must not be subjected to, or serve as a testing ground for, uncalculated experiments, as the consequences would be dire.
Furthermore, there is an important point regarding other professions not targeted by the Kuwaitization project, such as plumbing, contracting, and all forms of craft work. These are highly important professions for building a productive, integrated, and independent national economy. The aim here is not to push Kuwaitis to become plumbers, but to elevate these professions literally and professionally, ensuring they are governed by recognized licenses and certifications and fair wages. This is to prevent Kuwaitization from being merely a formalistic job replacement, but rather a comprehensive national economic project and system.
Suead Fahad Al-Muajel
