Kuwait’s Culture and Higher Education Minister Dr. Rashid Al-Hamad said the ministry plans to fight extremism and incorporate moderate thought and moral standards among teachers, pupils and families. The plan has been presented for discussion to a ministerial council.
The minister said the first step of the detailed plan will be to incorporate new elements in the curricula of the 2005-2006 school year, the London-based A-Sharq Al-Awsat reported.
According to the plan, one of the new elements introduced will be national education. This will help students understand the meaning of citizenship, the importance of social and political participation in a democratic society and will help them to acquire the skills needed to take part in public affairs. The plan will also help teachers detect signs of radicalism among students.
The ministry also plans to study the reasons for radicalism and how to deal with this problem.
Kuwait, an American ally, has United States troops deployed on its soil. The authorities are contending with Islamists in Kuwait planning to attack Americans and other foreigners in Kuwait and neighboring countries.