Kuwait schoolgirls suffer breathing difficulties, investigation ordered

Dubai: A number of schoolgirls at a secondary school in Kuwait suffered breathing difficulties in an incident that prompted an immediate investigation, the Ministry of Education said, adding that all the students were in stable condition.

Education Minister Jalal Al Tabtabaei was directly following the students’ condition and instructed ministry officials to monitor their health and coordinate with the relevant authorities in dealing with the incident, the ministry said in a statement.

It did not specify how many students were affected or identify the school, and no cause for the breathing difficulties was given.

The ministry said the safety of students as well as teaching and administrative staff remained its highest priority and that the girls’ conditions and developments surrounding the incident would continue to be closely monitored.

Al Tabtabaei ordered the incident to be referred for an immediate investigation to determine its causes and circumstances, establish responsibility and take appropriate action based on the findings.

The ministry said it would not tolerate any behaviour or action that compromised the safety and security of the school environment or put students and staff at risk.

It added that any breach of regulations would be dealt with firmly, stressing that protecting students was a fundamental responsibility.