KUWAIT: Following the very low number of teachers who applied to work in public schools for the coming school year (2018-2019), the Ministry of Education (MoE) has decided to hire teachers from other countries for certain subjects. Educational sources explained that MoE will open online applications to hire female music teachers and male art and craft teachers from Egypt. The sources added that online applications will be also opened to hire male French language teachers and female physical education teachers from Tunisia. The sources added that a 'B' GPA is needed for all applicants, plus a minimum of two years of experience for applicants with educational qualifications and three years for others. The sources added that selected candidates will be contacted on the phone numbers they fill in the application forms online.

Health insurance

The Ministry of Health (MoH) urged the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) to cancel a previously approved tender to provide health insurance services to retired citizens given to Warba Company of a total value of KD 98.68 million, confiscate the primary insurance the company had deposited and subject it to the tenders law number 49/2016. The ministry also urged CTC to approve the tender in favor of the second bidder - Gulf Insurance Group (GIG) - as the second lowest bidder matching the bidding conditions with a total value of KD 157.75 million. In a letter sent to CTC, MoH explained that the State Audit Bureau had approved Warba's bid on condition that its primary guarantee remains valid until the contract is signed, which the company failed to do after the guarantee expired on April 22, 2018, and the company officially refused to comply.

KD 5.7 billion

Central Bank statistics showed that citizens and expatriates spent around KD 5.7 billion ($19 billion) using their debit and credit cards in the first quarter of 2018, which is nine percent more than the KD 5.267 billion spent in the same period of 2017. Statistics also showed that KD 2.67 billion (16 percent of the total sum) was spent through point of sale (POS), compared to only KD 2.31 billion spent during the same period of 2017. The second means of spending was through ATMs, where citizens and expats withdrew KD 3.036 billion, a three percent increase compared to KD 2.95 billion in 2017. In addition, statistics showed that overseas POS transactions increased to KD 230.3 million, a 19 percent increase, compared to KD 193.6 million in 2017.

By A Saleh