Cairo: More than 300 Kuwaiti nationals have taken their written tests for working as muezzins and mosque imams, a government official has said, as the country is seeking to create more jobs for its citizens.
“The Ministry of Awqaf [Islamic affairs] organises such tests for Kuwaitis who are interested in getting jobs as part of efforts to Kuwaitise religious jobs,” Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for Mosque Affairs Badr Al Uteibi added in media remarks.
Applicants, who hold doctorate’s degrees in religious disciplines, were exempted from the written tests, but they have to pass oral tests to get the job, the official said. The successful candidates among the applicants have yet to take oral tests. The number of jobs up for grabs was not given.
Last week, Kuwait opened registration for citizens seeking jobs in state institutions.
The Civil Service Commission, the state employment agency, announced that the new phase of registration for government jobs continues until November 5.
Kuwait has stepped up efforts to create jobs for its citizens and set restrictions on employing foreigners as part of a policy dubbed “Kuwaitisation”.
Foreigners make up nearly 3.4 million of Kuwait’s total population of 4.6 million.
In recent months, there have been increasing calls in Kuwait for further curbing foreigners’ employment amid accusations that migrant workers have strained the country’s infrastructure facilities amid economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
