Minister of Education: Kuwait aims to lead Arab region with 'Child Reads' initiative
Press coverage 2 newspapers covered this event: Al-Seyassah · Kuwait News →
The Minister of Education confirms Kuwait's aspiration to lead the Arab region with the 'Child Reads' initiative.
Translated by Qiyas from السياسة — Original source
- Nurturing the talents of kindergarten children and developing their abilities to continue excelling in subsequent educational stages
- Launch of the second season of the initiative... and its stories featured in the first publication by a government initiative included in the “Arab Reading Challenge” library
Minister of Education Sayyid Jalal al-Tabataba’i affirmed today, Wednesday, that the “Child Reads” initiative contributes to nurturing the talents of kindergarten children and developing their abilities from an early age, thereby preparing them to continue excelling in later educational stages. He expressed his hope that Kuwait would lead the Arab region with this initiative.
Speaking to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) following the launch ceremony for the initiative’s second season, Minister al-Tabataba’i stated that focusing on the kindergarten stage constitutes a foundation for building a new generation. He added that the idea behind the initiative emerged during a meeting with the Arab Reading Challenge team, after it became evident that the challenge targets elementary, middle, and secondary school students, which necessitated opening the door for kindergarten children to participate.
He praised the achievements of the Arab Reading Challenge during the 2025–2026 academic year, including winning three awards and the success of the “Child Reads” initiative, calling for expanded efforts to discover children’s abilities within kindergartens and to focus on the diversity of their talents and reading specializations.
For his part, Abdullah al-Barak, the general coordinator of the “Child Reads” initiative, said in his speech at the ceremony that the initiative is an extension of Kuwait’s leadership in science, knowledge, culture, and initiatives that serve the Arab individual. He explained that it aims to develop children’s pre-reading skills, based on the belief that building a reader begins before learning letters and sentences.
He clarified that “Child Reads” is the first government initiative whose stories are included in the Arab Reading Challenge library, allowing children across the Arab world to benefit from them, as they embody values that reflect Kuwaiti society.
He expressed pride in the recognition and attention the Kuwaiti experience received from Arab participants, emphasizing that this reflects the initiative’s value and its role in developing children’s skills and strengthening their connection to reading from their earliest years.
