World Bank warns Kuwait about education system

The World Bank has raised concerns over Kuwait's current education system, according to a report.

The international organisation also warned  that the perpetuation of Kuwait's existing education  structure may render the country's high school certificates unrecognized by major academic institutions in the future, Al Watan reported on Saturday.

The Kuwait-based daily added that the warning formed a part of World Bank's observations about the overall education system in the Gulf country.

Al Watan added that Bank has opened a bureau in Kuwait to provide techncial advice to the various institutions run by the government.

The daily's sources said that the World Bank based its findings on the short school hours, suggesting that the timings are out of sync with international standards. According to the sources, the total number of school days in Kuwait is calculated at about 170 per year.

The World Bank has made a number of recommendations, including prolonging school day hours to meet international standards, "or else Kuwait' s academic certificates may not be recognized by timeـhonored universities."

The sources said that Kuwait's ministry hasn't taken any decision about the recommendations, including proposition of prolonging the school day, but asserted that the ministry is serious about improving education standards, Al Watan said.

Just last week newswire KUNA reported that the Kuwait education ministry will open 16 new schools in the academic year 2009-10.