54% of high school students sitting for exams are inoculated in Kuwait

Kuwait City: Around 27,000 of the 50,000 high school students sitting for in-person exams, scheduled to start on June 9, have been vaccinated, a member of the parliamentary health committee MP Saadoun Hammad said.

Unvaccinated students must show a negative PCR test before entering the exam hall. The Ministry of Education said in a statement that they have provided free PCR tests for students in schools in each educational district.

In order for a student to sit for an exam they must either have the proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test.

Debate over written exams

There has been a public debate for a few weeks over in-person exams for students. Several students and parents argued that it is unsafe for children to sit for in-person exams amidst a health crisis.

On Saturday, a number of students and MPs held a protest demanding that the Ministry of Education move in-person exams to online. This is the second protest to be held in two weeks, as another sit-in was organised at the Ministry of Education last month, claiming it is “risky” to move forward with in person exams given the health situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the special session held in parliament on Thursday, 27 out of the 53 members present voted against a request submitted by the parliamentary education committee to conduct exams online.