A Decline in Student Achievements

Al-Jarida, Kuwait, February 1

The issue of leaked exams has been the final straw for the Kuwaiti education system. Going forward, it is essential that we build a competent and well-functioning education system that focuses on training our youth for a brighter future. There are still those who remain rooted in the past, advocating to maintain the same age-old curricula, as if it has no impact on our future generations. Our education system needs a comprehensive shake-up to discover the underlying causes of the decline in student achievement, and to reveal those responsible for any processes that may have contributed to the system’s collapse. To prevent similar tragedies and suffering from occurring again, it is essential that we identify and address the issues caused by those who claim to be “reformers,” but are, in fact, the root of all the system’s problems. The outdated curricula are a major factor in the decline of this system and must be urgently addressed. We must urgently revise the educational methods we use for teaching, while ensuring that those entrusted with teaching our students do so without bias or favoritism. To make tangible progress, an impartial committee should review academic curricula from first to 12th grade and identify any gaps that ought to be addressed. The Parliamentary Education Committee, which is foolishly preoccupied with the politics of assigning titles and ranks to its members, must also take this matter seriously. For example, we must recruit capable teachers, who are excited about the opportunity to contribute to the nation’s development processes. The coronavirus crisis forced many to transition to distance learning, yet this is no excuse for the deteriorating educational outcomes. We must keep pace with an ever-changing world and economy, staying away from reactionary mentalities, backwardness and extremist views that keep us stagnant. We must not be bystanders to the progress of the world around us. Most importantly, accountability must be assigned to all those implicated in the test-leaking and cheating scandal. This is an appropriate opportunity to thoroughly examine our education sector and ensure that it is not completely destroyed. – Mubarak Abd Al-Hadi (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)