'Ministry of Education': Termination of services for 7,019 teachers as part of the plan to address the surplus of educational staff
- The first phase is expected to yield annual savings of KD 42 million, with affected staff notified via the “Sahl” platform
- Labor force study reveals a surplus of approximately 33,268 male and female teachers in several specializations
- Gradual expansion of Kuwaitization continues alongside ongoing contracts in fields facing shortages
Education Minister Eng. Syed Jalal Al-Tabatabaai has directed relevant sectors to begin implementing a gradual plan to address the surplus of educational staff in several specializations, aligning the number of teaching personnel with the actual needs of schools. This aims to enhance the efficiency of human and financial resource management and ensure the stability of the educational process.
In a statement, the Ministry of Education said the minister’s directives followed a series of meetings and studies conducted by relevant sectors to review the current state of the educational workforce. These efforts included analyzing the number of teachers across various specializations, academic stages, and educational districts, monitoring indicators of shortages and surpluses, and identifying current and future school needs.
The ministry clarified that the total teaching workforce, excluding supervisory positions, amounts to approximately 91,761 male and female teachers. Kuwaiti nationals constitute about 70.6% of this workforce, while Gulf nationals and illegally residing teachers account for approximately 10.1%, and resident teachers of Arab and other nationalities make up about 19.3%.
The ministry stated that study results revealed an actual surplus of approximately 33,268 male and female teachers, including Kuwaiti citizens, Gulf national contract staff, illegally residing teachers, and resident teachers of Arab and other nationalities. This surplus exists in several specializations where the number of employed staff exceeds the actual needs of schools.
It emphasized that addressing the surplus will be done gradually and carefully, based on the actual need for each specialization. This approach aims to ensure a balanced teaching workforce without disrupting schooling or school needs, while taking into account educational requirements and the best interests of students.
The ministry added that the first phase of the plan involves terminating the contracts of approximately 7,019 male and female teachers from Arab and other nationalities in specializations where data showed a surplus over actual needs.
It noted that relevant sectors have begun taking the necessary executive measures. Affected staff will be notified of their termination through the government “Sahl” application, in accordance with approved administrative and legal systems and procedures, ensuring their employment rights are protected.
The ministry mentioned that implementing the first phase of the surplus management plan is expected to generate estimated annual savings of approximately KD 42 million from the salary budget alone. This will also help recalibrate the teaching workforce numbers to align with actual school needs, thereby enhancing the efficiency of human and financial resource management and limiting the accumulation of future surpluses.
It clarified that labor force indicators showed a surplus in several educational specializations across different academic stages. In boys’ primary schools, the surplus included Arabic language, English language, Islamic studies, art education, and music education. In middle schools, it covered Islamic studies, social studies, art education, music education, electricity, and decoration. In high schools, the surplus was found in chemistry, philosophy, geology, Islamic studies, art education, music education, and geography.
In girls’ schools, the surplus in the primary stage comprised Mathematics, Arabic Language, Art Education, Physical Education, and Music Education. In the intermediate stage, the surplus included Music Education, Physical Education, Islamic Education, Science, Mathematics, Arabic Language, and Electricity. At the secondary stage, the surplus was limited to the French Language specialization, in addition to a surplus in Music Education at the kindergarten level.
The Ministry expressed its appreciation for the efforts made by male and female teachers from its contracted staff throughout their years of service, highlighting their dedication and contributions to serving Kuwaiti children and supporting the educational journey. It emphasized that the implementation of the plan aims to organize staffing needs and address surpluses in educational specializations in line with the actual requirements of schools.
The Ministry stressed that the continuous review of the educational workforce and aligning their numbers with indicators of shortages, surpluses, and the actual needs of schools constitute a central pillar of the plan. This is achieved through a meticulous review of the number of male and female teachers in each specialization, academic stage, and educational zone, along with the periodic updating of shortage and surplus indicators.
It was noted that this mechanism aims to prioritize qualified national cadres, link new appointments to the actual needs of schools, and gradually expand the localization of specializations where qualified national cadres are available, while continuing to rely on contracted expertise in specializations experiencing shortages due to insufficient numbers of national staff.
The Ministry of Education affirmed that the surplus management plan seeks to empower national cadres, enhance the efficiency of human and financial resource management, and achieve optimal utilization of educational staff through a gradual, data-driven approach based on actual needs, while maintaining school stability, educational quality, and the best interests of learners.
