Ministry of Education officially announces the Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence

- Al-Tabtabai specified the eligible categories, the number of winners, the financial awards, and the evaluation and arbitration criteria.

- A prerequisite for the candidate learner is achieving at least 95 percent during the last three academic years.

- 10 distinguished learners, each receiving 1,000 dinars, based on academic, behavioral, and community excellence criteria.

- 12 distinguished teachers, each receiving 3,000 dinars, provided they hold Kuwaiti citizenship and receive an "excellent" rating in actual performance evaluation.

- 24 principals and assistant principals within the distinguished school management category, with total awards amounting to 30,000 dinars.

The Ministry of Education officially announced today the Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence, confirming what was published in "Al-Rai" newspaper in its issue dated November 2.

In a statement, the Ministry clarified that this award, the first of its kind in Kuwait, is pioneering in honoring excellence and creativity in the educational field. It embodies the Ministry’s commitment to recognizing national competencies, stimulating distinctive initiatives, and supporting outstanding educational practices, thereby contributing to achieving sustainable development goals and aligning with the State of Kuwait’s direction toward building a world-class educational system.

In this regard, Minister of Education Eng. Syed Jalal Al-Tabtabai issued a ministerial decision regarding the conditions and regulations of the Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence at the Ministry of Education. The decision specified the eligible categories, the number of winners, the value of financial awards, as well as participation conditions and evaluation and arbitration mechanisms, ensuring equal opportunities and reinforcing principles of transparency and objectivity in selecting winners.

The Ministry of Education stated that the Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence represents a national beacon for excellence and creativity in the educational field, and a pioneering platform for promoting a culture of quality and institutional excellence. This is achieved through three main pillars that underpin the educational process: the distinguished teacher, who leads the learning process and creates impact; the distinguished learner, who embodies values of excellence, creativity, and responsibility; and the distinguished school, which provides an inspiring and safe learning environment, follows best practices in leadership, management, and innovation, and achieves integration among the various elements of the educational system.

The Ministry noted that the award was designed according to an integrated national framework that draws on best practices and global standards in the fields of educational and institutional excellence. It unifies these elements within a single system that aligns with the identity of the State of Kuwait and the Ministry of Education’s priorities, thereby achieving integration between educational quality, outstanding performance, and sustainable development, making it a pioneering national model in supporting educational excellence.

It added that the award’s criteria are based on recognized international references. They draw inspiration from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) criteria to enhance professional excellence, alongside Cognia and EFQM criteria for leadership and institutional excellence, and principles of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model in areas of leadership, governance, institutional excellence, and sustainable impact creation. These focus on building high-quality learning environments based on continuous improvement.

The Ministry emphasized that this integration of global references constitutes a unique national model reflecting the Ministry of Education’s ambition to adopt best international practices and utilize them in a manner suited to the specificities of the Kuwaiti educational environment. This contributes to developing performance and elevating the quality of educational and institutional practices.

The Ministry of Education also clarified that the award consists of three main categories, with a total of 54 winners across the State of Kuwait, from public schools, religious education institutions, and special education schools, according to the geographic location of each educational region. These categories include the distinguished learner, the distinguished teacher, and the distinguished school management.

The ministry indicated that the Outstanding School Administration category includes the principal and three assistant principals from the primary, intermediate, and secondary stages, with one winning school administration designated per educational region. Each winning administration comprises four award recipients: the principal and three assistant principals. Consequently, the total number of winners in this category across the six educational regions amounts to 24. The winning principal receives 2,000 Kuwaiti dinars, while each assistant principal receives 1,000 dinars, bringing the total value of awards allocated to this category to 30,000 dinars.

Regarding participation conditions, the ministry stated that the Outstanding Learner category requires applicants to be Kuwaiti nationals, possess an exemplary behavioral record, and have no history of school disciplinary sanctions or decisions by the school disciplinary council. Additionally, applicants must have achieved a score of no less than 95 percent of the total marks in academic subjects during the three academic years preceding the nomination for the award.

As for the Outstanding Teacher category, the Ministry of Education clarified that key nomination conditions include being a Kuwaiti national, currently holding a position within the ministry at the time of application, and having received an actual job performance evaluation rated as excellent. This evaluation must be based on actual performance rather than honorary or exceptional assessments.

Furthermore, applicants must not have previously participated in the "Outstanding Teacher" award or won the Kuwait Award for Educational Excellence in the same category during the period specified by the regulations. They must also have actual service duration in the field of education that meets or exceeds the minimum period stipulated in the executive regulations.

The ministry added that conditions include having no prior criminal conviction resulting in a custodial sentence for a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude or breach of trust, unless the applicant’s reputation has been restored. Applicants must also attach a recent "no criminal record" certificate issued via the "Sahel" application, and must not have been subject to a disciplinary sanction that bars promotion, in accordance with Articles 67 and 68 of the Civil Service Regulations.

The ministry emphasized the importance of teachers submitting a portfolio documented with evidence and proof demonstrating their outstanding practices and their impact on student learning and the development of the educational process. It stressed that the excellence presented for the award must be linked to the teacher’s actual performance within the educational field, rather than being based solely on obtaining certificates or participating in courses and events.

Regarding the Outstanding School category, the ministry specified that participating schools must be government schools affiliated with the Ministry of Education in the State of Kuwait. They must not have previously won or participated in the Outstanding Schools competition, and must possess an outstanding and documented performance record, supported by evidence and proof verifying the quality of their practices and outcomes.

The ministry clarified that nominated schools must achieve a distinguished level in the quality of education and learning, demonstrating a clear and measurable impact on improving student learning. They must also excel in school leadership, the educational environment, and student care. Additionally, no final administrative or disciplinary sanctions should have been issued against the school during the period specified in the regulations, and the school must adhere to the approved evaluation, judging, and field visit standards for the award.

Concerning the evaluation mechanism, the Ministry of Education confirmed that the nomination process will be conducted electronically through registration on the designated platform. Official applicant data will be automatically retrieved from the ministry’s systems, and required documents for each evaluation criterion will be uploaded, ensuring procedural ease, data accuracy, and standardized application pathways.

She added that the next phase involves document-based screening, through an evaluation of the submitted documents by three independent judges, with the top ten candidates in each category qualifying. This phase accounts for 50 percent of the final score.

The Ministry of Education indicated that qualified candidates will undergo field visits of no fewer than four per candidate, during which observations and scores will be recorded via the platform’s field application. The results of these visits represent 50 percent of the final evaluation.

It was clarified that the final score will be calculated using an equation that combines the average document-screening score (50 percent) and the average field-visit evaluation score (50 percent), totaling 100 percent. This ensures a balance between the evidence and documents submitted and the practical reality of educational practices.

The Ministry also stressed that no evaluation criterion will be counted without verifiable evidence or a documented field observation. Each criterion will be based on a digital indicator, specific evidence with a known issuing authority, and the possibility of direct verification, thereby affirming the integrity and objectivity of the evaluation procedures.

It was confirmed that the general framework of the award, evaluation criteria, and the operational mechanism of the electronic platform will be published on the Ministry of Education’s official website to make information accessible to potential participants and enhance the clarity of procedures and standards. It was noted that if applicants do not meet the participation conditions, their entries will be disqualified.

The Ministry of Education stated that the decision stipulates implementation from the date of its issuance, and that all concerned entities must be informed and act accordingly. All previous ministerial decisions conflicting with this decision are hereby repealed. The Deputy Minister of Education or the Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs will issue an annual circular specifying the period for electronic submission of applications for the award.

The Ministry concluded by emphasizing that the award is based on a comprehensive system of standards that enhance quality, innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, governance, institutional leadership, and the creation of sustainable educational impact. This contributes to building leading educational environments, empowering national talents, developing institutional performance, improving educational outcomes, and enhancing the readiness of educational institutions to keep pace with future developments.