KUWAIT, Apr 15 (NNN-KUNA) – Kuwait tightened measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, by extending suspension of school activities to Aug.
The decision was not good news for some parents, who do not know how to deal with their children, during such a long period of time.
According to a ministerial decision issued last week, foreign private schools in Kuwait will be allowed to resume the 2019-2020 academic year, using online and e-learning platforms.
For Nisreen Al-Saif, a mother of two, the decision was a relief and she was excited for her children to start their e-learning after a month of break.
Al-Saif, another Kuwaiti mother, said that, her children’s school, which follows the British curriculum, has given parents the option of choosing to end the school year by e-learning or resume school in Aug.
“I chose to enrol my children in e-learning, even though the school day is short and includes only three subjects, but I’m afraid that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue after Aug,” she said.
The curricula are easier and don’t put much pressure on students, which allows them to keep in touch with school environment, and with their teachers via online application, Al-Saif said.
Regarding public schools, Kuwaiti Ministry of Education is making much effort to activate the Kuwait Educational Portal, to connect school teachers with their students until the resumption of study in Aug.
The suspension decision forced parents to look for solutions for their children’s free time and Elham Al-Bader is one of them. As a mother of four children, Al-Bader has to fill up her children’s daily schedule.
She said that, her children, who are aged between seven and 14, stay home all the time, which has negatively affected her life.
This situation led her to think about a programme to engage them all day long and motivate them to study in preparation for school resumption.
A professional teacher now assists Al-Bader in shaping the study programme, to review lessons and prepare for exams.
Al-Bader also set a schedule for her children to practice sports in the yard, since the weather is still well and suitable for outdoor activities.
However, Um Youssef, a Kuwaiti citizen working in one of the ministries, said that she considers the current situation as an ordinary vacation.
“I don’t know how to set a special programme for my children because of their hyperactivity, so I had to allow them to play from the first day of suspension till they resume schools,” she said.
Asma Khalaf, an Egyptian mother of three, did not have the power to control her children who stayed up all night. “I’m exhausted, my children rebelled and I can not control them anymore,” she complained.
“Since the suspension of school they have been refusing to wake up early and prepare for their upcoming exams,” she added.
Samira Hassan, a Lebanese mother of a twin at the age of ten, pointed to the necessity of adapting to the current situation. Hassan said, she tells her daughters to shoulder some chores at home, such as washing dishes and folding clothes that keep them busy enough to not feel bored.
Kuwait will resume school in Aug, which is part of efforts to preserve the well-being of students amid the spread of COVID-19, the Kuwaiti government announced, on Mar 19.
According to the decision, some 38,000 students in grade 12 would resume studies on Aug 4, while students in grades one to 11, would resume studies on Oct 4.
Kuwait, yesterday, reported the third death from COVID-19 and 55 new cases, bringing the country’s confirmed infections to 1,355, the Health Ministry said in a statement.– NNN-KUNA
