The Credit Hour System... Round Two
The credit-based system is an American educational model characterized by flexibility, granting students the freedom to select courses according to their preferred schedules and to choose their instructors. Consequently, each student has a personalized timetable, in contrast to traditional education, which is rigid and relies on a fixed, collective schedule.
Furthermore, the American credit-based system entails high financial costs and is supported by robust administrative and academic capacities, as well as a well-trained teaching staff. It is implemented with a high degree of comprehension and adherence to the standards established to ensure its success.
The American credit-based system was later modified during the presidency of Ronald Reagan. This revision introduced applied courses and practical experiences into secondary education programs—essentially creating multiple educational pathways—to align with developments in the labor market and the needs of American society, while also keeping pace with industrialized nations that had made significant progress in applied and vocational education.
Kuwaiti officials in the Ministry of Education were impressed by the American credit-based system and implemented it across secondary schools. However, the initiative faced significant implementation challenges, leading to the failure of the experiment. A decline in the academic achievement of graduates entering universities or the Institute of Applied Studies and Training was observed, prompting the Ministry of Education to halt the credit-based system and revert to the current semester-based system.
Today, 20 years after the discontinuation of the credit-based system, Kuwaiti officials in the Ministry of Education are attempting to reintroduce it, albeit with caution and prudence to avoid repeating the mistakes that led to its previous failure. The initiative will initially be limited to two schools for male and female students in each educational district, with its success measured before any gradual expansion to other schools. The new model appears to be adapted from the current American credit-based system, particularly regarding the diversity of specializations or pathways, which allow students to discover their interests and capabilities. There is no harm in benefiting from American expertise in this educational model.
Assuming the success of the credit-based system or educational pathways experiment in Kuwait—which is hoped for—it would be more appropriate not to generalize the system, but rather to limit its expansion. Schools implementing the system should be designated as exemplary government secondary schools, reserved for a specific segment of students who meet defined academic criteria, enabling them to continue their advanced studies within these model institutions.
