Ministry of Education Sets Guidelines for Hiring Trainee Teachers
The Ministry of Education continues its efforts to organize career pathways for teachers, ensuring their qualification before transitioning to the functional levels of teaching staff members. In implementation of Decree-Law No. (86) of 2026, Minister of Education Jalal Al-Tabtabaee issued a decision establishing the job title “Trainee Teacher” within the Ministry of Education, and defining the conditions and controls for holding this position, in alignment with the provisions of the decree-law replacing Table No. (1) attached to Law No. (28) of 2011 concerning the granting of allowances and bonuses to Kuwaiti teaching staff members at the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
The Ministry of Education clarified that, without prejudice to acquired rights, the decision established the job title “Trainee Teacher” among the titles of teaching positions, with the requirement that the applicant’s academic qualification be a university degree.
The Ministry further explained that the “Trainee Teacher” functional level is initially held for a period of one year, during which the teacher undergoes a training program. The Ministry will determine the conditions, controls, and procedures for passing this program by a decision of the Minister of Education. It noted that the salary during this phase is determined according to the financial grade assigned, without receiving the allowances and bonuses stipulated for teaching staff members, which include the functional level bonus, the incentive bonus, the teaching allowance, and the rare specialty allowance.
The Ministry added that if the Trainee Teacher successfully completes the training program, they will transition to holding the functional levels specified for teaching staff positions listed in the table attached to Decree-Law No. (86) of 2026, in accordance with the conditions and controls prescribed for each level, as well as any additional conditions determined by the Civil Service Council and the Ministry of Education regarding the progressive technical advancement of functional levels.
The Ministry indicated that if the Trainee Teacher fails to pass the training program, they will be reassigned to an administrative position within the Ministry of Education, provided they hold a pedagogical university qualification (Bachelor’s degree in Education) from the College of Education at Kuwait University or from the Basic Education College of the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training.
It clarified that if the Trainee Teacher does not hold the aforementioned pedagogical university qualification, their file will be referred to the Diwan of Civil Service for assignment to another government entity under a job title appropriate to their obtained qualification.
The Ministry of Education emphasized that the decision takes effect from the date of its issuance, and all relevant authorities are required to be informed and act accordingly, with any prior decisions conflicting with it being repealed.
