Education: Termination of services for 7,000 teachers of Arab and other nationalities
Education Minister Jalal Al-Tabtaba’i has directed relevant sectors to begin implementing a gradual plan aimed at addressing surpluses in certain specializations and enhancing the efficiency of human and financial resource management, “to ensure optimal utilization of personnel and maintain the stability of the educational process.” This directive comes as part of the Ministry of Education’s broader strategy to achieve a balanced distribution of teaching staff and align the size of the educational workforce with the actual needs of schools.
In a statement, the Ministry explained that Minister Al-Tabtaba’i’s directives followed a series of meetings and studies conducted by specialized sectors to review the current state of the educational workforce. These efforts included analyzing the number of teaching staff across various specializations, educational stages, and regions, monitoring indicators of shortages and surpluses, and identifying current and future school needs. This data-driven approach culminated in the development of a surplus mitigation plan based on actual data and precise indicators for each specialization.
The Ministry noted that the total number of teaching staff in government schools, excluding those in supervisory roles, stands at approximately 92,000. National staff constitute about 71% of this workforce, while Gulf nationals and illegally residing expatriates account for roughly 10.1%. Expatriate teachers from Arab and other nationalities make up the remaining 19.3%.
Study results revealed an actual surplus of approximately 33,266 teachers and educators, including Kuwaiti nationals, contracted Gulf staff, illegally residing expatriates, and expatriates from Arab and other nationalities. This surplus exists in specializations where the number of employees exceeds the actual needs of schools.
The Ministry emphasized that addressing this surplus will be done gradually and systematically, according to the actual needs of each specialization. This approach aims to ensure a balanced educational workforce without disrupting schooling or affecting school requirements, while respecting educational process demands and the best interests of students.
The plan has commenced with a first phase involving the termination of services for approximately 7,000 teachers and educators from the contracted Arab and other nationalities in specializations where data indicated a surplus over actual needs. Specialized sectors have begun implementing the necessary measures. Affected individuals will be notified of their termination through the government’s “Sahel” application, in accordance with approved administrative and legal regulations and procedures, ensuring their employment rights are protected.
The Ministry stated that implementing the first phase of the surplus mitigation plan is expected to generate estimated annual savings of approximately 42 million Kuwaiti dinars from salary expenditures alone. Additionally, it will help recalibrate the size of the educational workforce to align with actual school needs, thereby enhancing human and financial resource management efficiency and preventing the accumulation of future surpluses.
Indicators of the workforce revealed surpluses in several educational specializations across different stages. In boys’ schools, the primary stage surplus includes Arabic Language, English Language, Islamic Education, Art Education, and Music Education. The middle stage surplus covers Islamic Education, Social Studies, Art Education, Music Education, Electricity, and Decorative Arts. In the secondary stage, surpluses exist in Chemistry, Philosophy, Geology, Islamic Education, Art Education, Music Education, and Geography.
Regarding girls’ schools, the primary stage surplus includes Mathematics, Arabic Language, Art Education, Physical Education, and Music Education. The middle stage surplus covers Music Education, Physical Education, Islamic Education, Science, Mathematics, Arabic Language, and Electricity. The secondary stage surplus is limited to the French Language specialization, with an additional surplus in Music Education at the kindergarten level.
The Ministry expressed its appreciation and pride for the efforts made by contracted teachers and educators over the years, acknowledging their dedication and contributions to serving Kuwaiti students and supporting the educational journey. It affirmed that the plan’s implementation is part of organizing needs and addressing surpluses in educational specializations according to actual school requirements.
The Ministry commended the sincere dedication and considerable efforts of these professionals, which have positively impacted the educational field and Kuwait’s educational progress. It reiterated that the value of teachers’ roles and educational contributions remains a source of pride, even as the Ministry works to organize workforce needs according to the requirements of the upcoming phase.
The Ministry clarified that continuously reviewing the educational workforce and aligning its size with shortage and surplus indicators and actual school needs is a central pillar of the plan. This involves precise reviews of teacher numbers in each specialization, stage, and region, with periodic updates to shortage and surplus indicators.
This mechanism aims to prioritize qualified national cadres, link new appointments to actual school needs, and gradually expand the localization of specializations where qualified national staff are available. Simultaneously, it will continue to rely on contracted expertise in specializations facing shortages where sufficient national cadres are not yet available, thereby meeting the needs of the educational field and preventing the formation of new surpluses in the future.
The Ministry stressed that the surplus mitigation plan aligns with its responsibility to empower national cadres, enhance human and financial resource management efficiency, and ensure optimal utilization of educational personnel. This follows a gradual, data-driven approach based on actual needs, while maintaining school stability, educational quality, and student welfare as the foundation for all decisions and measures taken by the Ministry.
