KUWAIT: The newly formed Ahmadi Governorate Council held its first session on Monday, outlining plans for how it will support the governorate’s development and its community needs. The meeting was chaired by Governor Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Oil and Gas Exhibition, with representatives from government agencies and three citizen members present.

The council was established following the Cabinet’s approval in May 2025, under Decree No. 151 of 2024, which created Governorate Councils across all six of Kuwait’s governorates. These councils are designed to support governors in managing local affairs and improving public services.

Sheikh Humoud highlighted the council’s key role in advancing development efforts and improving public services in Ahmadi. “Our work plan includes monitoring government development projects in the governorate and enhancing the quality of public services,” he said. “We will also assess the needs for new facilities, address citizens’ complaints, and encourage initiatives aimed at improving our community.”

In addition to overseeing infrastructure and public service projects, the council will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Interior to maintain security and public order. It will also supervise environmental safety and public health efforts, and promote educational, social, and volunteer activities within the community.

To manage its work efficiently, the council formed specialized subcommittees during the session. These include the Public Services Committee, the Complaints and Suggestions Committee, and the Government Projects Follow-up Committee. Sheikh Humoud praised the strong cooperation from government bodies involved and emphasized their shared commitment to sustainable development across the governorate. — Agencies

KUWAIT: Kuwait is launching a three-day donation campaign starting Tuesday, followed by the organization of an air bridge to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to Assistant Foreign Minister for Development and International Cooperation Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of Peru’s National Day celebration on Sunday, Al-Mashaan said charitable associations across the country will collect funds for the Gaza aid campaign, which will be entirely allocated to the purchase of relief materials through Kuwait Flour Mills Company. “All donations will go toward essential supplies, procured from a trusted local producer with the capacity to meet immediate needs,” he said.
Once the donations are collected, the Ministry of Defense — specifically the Kuwait Air Force — will coordinate the transportation of aid using a Kuwaiti military aircraft. Shipments will be sent via two routes: to Al-Arish in Egypt, where they will be handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent in coordination with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, and to Jordan for further delivery to Gaza.

Ambassador Hamad Al-Mashaan

Unified charity system

Al-Mashaan also noted that Kuwait is in the final stages of approving a comprehensive law to regulate charitable work and strengthen oversight over the sector. A key feature of the law is the creation of a governmental ‘center’, dedicated to humanitarian work, serving as a unified authority overseeing all aspects of charitable activities.

The center will oversee the registration of charity associations, organize relief campaigns, monitor international donations, and issue all necessary approvals — streamlining processes and reducing the need for associations to navigate multiple government entities.

The new law, which has been developed over seven high-level committee meetings chaired by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, is currently under legal review. It includes frameworks to regulate the operation of charitable societies and foundations, set standards for donation collection, and bring all charitable entities under the umbrella of the new center.

Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef has tasked Minister of Justice Nasser Al-Sumait with coordinating with the Fatwa and Legislation Department before the law is submitted to the Legal Committee for final approval. “We expect the law to be finalized within two to three weeks,” Al-Mashaan said. “However, implementing the executive regulations and launching the center will take more time and effort, especially with the transfer of staff from the Ministry of Social Affairs.”

He emphasized that in Kuwait’s charitable work, domestic needs will take precedence, followed by support for international causes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is playing a leading role in this process, particularly in monitoring international donations and ensuring accountability for overseas projects.

KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Ministry of Education has completed the development of new national curricula for kindergarten through Grade 9, just months after Education Minister Jalal Al-Tabtabaei ordered a full overhaul in April. In a high-level meeting with subject supervisors on Monday, the Ministry revealed new details about the scope and structure of the redesigned curriculum — part of a sweeping reform aimed at modernizing teaching standards, lightening student workload and aligning education with global benchmarks.

The minister emphasized the need for strong coordination between curriculum developers and educators to ensure smooth implementation. “Comprehensive training plans must be developed to prepare teachers for the new curriculum,” Al-Tabtabaei said, noting that training sessions will be held before the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The Ministry confirmed that 88 textbooks have been completed for the first semester alone: 2 for kindergarten, 46 for the primary stage, and 40 for the intermediate stage. All books are now undergoing final language and design reviews in preparation for printing. To ease student load, the new textbooks will be printed in four smaller parts, spaced throughout the school year. The goal is to improve content delivery while reducing the weight of schoolbags.

Training for teachers will begin ahead of the 2025-2026 academic year, with sessions offered both in person and online via Microsoft Teams. “Comprehensive training plans must be developed to prepare teachers for the new curriculum,” Minister Al-Tabtabaei said. He underscored the importance of collaboration between authors and field educators to ensure effective implementation.

One of the most significant changes affects the English curriculum, which now aligns with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and international tests such as IELTS and TOEFL. The new program focuses on developing well-rounded learners with strong listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, targeting CEFR levels A1 to B1.

Arabic language instruction has also been upgraded to reinforce critical thinking and communication. The redesigned Arabic textbook includes four teaching units, each built around two key themes that support a full range of language skills. “The design of the book reflects a high-quality national educational effort that aims to support teachers and achieve effective learning outcomes,” the ministry said.

New learning methods have also been introduced across the board. The curriculum incorporates 21st-century skills such as critical analysis, self-learning and problem-solving. Social studies content — now introduced from Grade 1 — aims to strengthen national identity through newly developed books. Science and math subjects will adopt a problem-based learning model through the STEM approach. The curriculum also aims to be inclusive, with adaptations that account for individual learning differences and the needs of gifted students.

The ministry emphasized that the entire redesign was developed locally by experienced Kuwaiti educators, supervisors and subject experts. “The curriculum philosophy was built by national hands according to scientific standards to ensure that educational goals are met,” the statement concluded. — Agencies