KUWAIT: A group of high-achieving students prepare to leave Kuwait on a trip organized by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). — KUNA KUWAIT: A group of high-achieving students prepare to leave Kuwait on a trip organized by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). — KUNA

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Education set up a committee to put regulations for increasing Arabic and foreign private school fees, a senior ministry official announced yesterday.

The committee, which was formed by Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Dr Bader Al-Essa, is scheduled to finish its mission by the end of the month, said Dr Haitham Al-Athari. Its final recommendations will be applied on all private schools in Kuwait, said Athari, who charges the committee.

Any school that fails to adhere to those recommendations, particularly fails to obtain permission from the ministry before increasing fees will be subjected to punitive measures, Athari said, adding that termination of the school's license is the maximum form of punishment that could be used in this case.

The senior official urged parents to inform the ministry with any cases in which schools increase their fees, and provide evidence, adding that each complaint will be dealt with confidentially. The ministry has recently informed a private school to reverse a 19 percent increase in fees after receiving complaints from students' parents, Athari added.

High-achieving students

In other news, a group of Kuwaiti students left for Senegal on Friday on the seventh trip organized by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, for high-achieving high school students. The KFAED's program is themed 'Be a High-Achiever.'

Organizing trips to the KFAED beneficiary states is prompted by a belief in the importance of motivating Kuwaiti students for further achievements and promoting their national sense through acquainting them with the status their country enjoys among the Arab, and other developing countries, as well as its efforts to support development worldwide, Ahmad Al-Sarraf from the Fund's Media Department told KUNA.

They also aim to enhance students' skills for search, and help them explore their abilities of self-reliance and bearing responsibilities, as well as getting acquainted with the world, Sarraf added. The trip, running as far as January 16, is part of the KFAED's role for promoting the Kuwaiti human resources, which included a program for training and qualifying engineers launched in 2004.

It is the first of its kind to an African country, he said, noting that Senegal is an ideal as a destination for the 'Be a High-Achiever' program for its cultural heritage and geographical diversity. The trip program, according to Sarraf, is variant, with cultural, refreshment and tourist goals, he said.

Meanwhile, another group of high-achieving Kuwaiti students left for China yesterday on a trip organized as part of KFAED's 'Be a High-Achiever' program. The trip's organizer Fatma Al-Terkit told KUNA that 12 female high schoolers will tour China until January 17.

Not only will the trip aim at familiarizing students with KFAED's developmental projects in China but also will them to explore different culture, improve their sense of responsibility and their awareness of the importance of teamwork, she added. - KUNA