Kuwait sets up plan to return all stranded teachers

Kuwait City: After over a year of uncertainty, Kuwait’s Ministry of Education is working on a plan to bring back all 2,100 non-Kuwaiti teachers stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported.

While there were talks earlier in the year about terminating teachers, the Ministry has agreed to return all stranded teachers and not to terminate any of them based on recommendations of the Civil Service Bureau.

Teachers that have expired residency permits will enter Kuwait with new entry visas and will renew their residencies in person. For those that have valid residency that are expiring soon, will be able to renew them online.

Teachers will begin receiving their salaries on a monthly basis during the summer period, unlike in the past where they received 4-months salary in one go.

The plan to return teachers stuck abroad coincides with the Ministry’s plan to resume in-person learning in September.

In order for schools to open in a safe manner, the Ministry of education and Ministry of Health are working together to vaccinate as many teachers as possible.

The Ministry of Health revealed that out of the 109,574 teachers and administrative staff, 88,812 have received at least the first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine.