COVID-19: Kuwait gives green light for preschools to reopen
Around 200 nurseries were shut for not adhering to health precautions
Kuwait City: After over a year of closure, the Ministry of Health announced that it has approved a plan for the reopening of preschools in September, local media reported.
The Minister of Social Affairs, Dr. Mashaan Al Otaibi and the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the COVID-19 Emergency Committee, Hamad Jaber Al Ali Al Sabah, issued a letter that lays out a three stage plan for the reopening of nurseries.
According to the plan, the first stage will be to determine the health regulations and mechanisms put in place by each pre school, which take place between April 15 and May 30. Then, nurseries will begin child rehabilitation programs to ensure a safe reopening between June 1 and August 30.
Finally, on September 1, all nurseries will open and their regular capacity, concluding the third stage.
Nursery closures
Like schools and universities, pre schools have been closed over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before the pandemic there were around 500 nurseries across Kuwait. But then in the past year, the Preschool Owners Forum (PFO) reported that 200 nurseries were shut for not adhering to health measures. In addition, 100 closed their doors as they were over burdened with economic losses.
While the nursery owners have been affected by the loss so have the 309,138 children between the age of zero and four that reside in Kuwait. Kindergarten is a pivotal time in a child’s life as they learn developmental and social skills that serve as a foundation for their overall growth.
Although last month the government announced a plan to reopen schools in September, nurseries were not included in the plan as they are under the Ministry of Social Affairs, not the Ministry of Education.