KUWAIT: Despite the Education Ministry's orders which bans increasing private school fees for the 2016/2017 academic year, a number of schools are already asking for tuitions with up to 12 percent increases.

For example, one school has raised the fees from KD 1,730 to KD 1,900 for the kindergarten stage, from KD 2,775 to KD 3,050 for the preliminary stage, and from KD 4,415 to KD 4,850 for high school, according to sources. Parents were told to pay KD 200 within six days in order to reserve a seat for their child next year, the sources added.

In other news, the Ministry of Health started preparing lists containing the names of children of expatriate doctors working in public medical facilities, so that they can be enrolled in public schools next years. A doctor should have a minimum of five years of service in a public hospital or polyclinic, an 'excellent' evaluation during 2013 and 2014, and to have children under the age of 18 in order to benefit from this stipulation, sources said.

A maximum of 250 students will be absorbed into public schools next year according to the Ministry of Education. Separately, education ministry sources estimated the percentage of students' absence in schools around Kuwait on the first day following the national holidays at 40 percent. - Al-Anbaa