Kuwaiti MPs have demanded controversial education minister Nouriya Al-Subeeh appear before them to answer questions over her conduct and the standard of education in the Gulf Arab state as pressure continues to mounts on her to resign.
Al-Subeeh is Kuwait’s only female cabinet member after Massouma Al-Mubarak quit as health minister after a hospital fire in August.
Lawmaker Saad Al-Shuraye’ on Monday filed a motion against the minister, charging that she has “ridiculed” the legislative authority, tried to misguide the MPs and refused to cooperate with parliament, the official Kuna news agency reported.
The motion also accuses Al-Subeeh of legal and administrative violations, and of trying to “settle scores” with officials within the Ministry of Education and other educational authorities rather than focusing on improving the standard of education in the country, according to Kuna.
Under Kuwaiti law, any MP can request the prime minister or members of the cabinet to appear before parliament to answer questions about their respective portfolios, with the session usually being held eight days after submission of the motion and with approval of the concerned minister.
Al-Subeeh would appear before parliament on January 8, the news agency said.
Prior to the Eid Al-Adha holidays, MPs had called on Al-Subeeh to quit and urged the prime minister to fire her is she refused.
The feud between certain sections of parliament and the minister dates back to October when she moved two top officials from their posts prior to the start of the academic year, blaming them for shortcomings in the ministry.
At the time, MPs said they would give Al-Subeeh a three-month reprieve to reform the country’s education sector and resolve problems within the ministry.
Al-Subeeh has courted controversy ever since she refused to wear a headscarf in parliament, and was greeted with jeers and protests when she took the oath of office in April.
The attack against Al-Subeeh is just the latest clash between the parliament and the executive that has seen the resignation of two ministers since the latest cabinet took office in March and stalled progress in securing approval of a series of much-needed economic reforms.
The previous cabinet resigned due to the lack of pregress being made.
Kuwait’s ruler, Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who has the last say in politics, has repeatedly urged deputies and the government to work together.
Analysts say he was on the brink earlier this year of dissolving parliament due to the deadlock.
Follow us on
