Modern parliamentary life in Kuwait began on June 19, 1961 with the elections to the Constituent Assembly. This was followed by the first session of the National Assembly held on January 29, 1963.

The total strength of the Kuwaiti National Assembly is 50. The members are elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage and secret ballot. The legislative term is divided into annual sessions which are of no less than eight months’ duration; the legislative term may be extended by law in times of war or may be shortened if the Assembly is dissolved by a decree. In such an eventuality general elections will have to be held within two months from the date of dissolution.

Each of Kuwait’s 25 constituencies elects two members to the Assembly. Only Kuwaiti males who are 21 years of age have the right to vote. Candidates for the National Assembly must be Kuwaiti nationals and not under 30 years of age.The Assembly’s sessions are only valid when more than half of the total number of members are present. Every member has the right to initiate bills. The bill passed by the National Assembly becomes law after it is sanctioned by the Amir, and promulgated and published in the official gazette.

The National Assembly’s financial responsibilities include approval of the state budget and final accounts. The Assembly also supervises executive power through deferment means, like submitting questions, initiating discussions, and setting up commissions of inquiry. Such supervision can lead to a vote of no-confidence against a minister and result in his resignation. A vote of no-confidence against the Prime Minister is not allowed, but the Assembly has the right of deciding not to cooperate with the Prime Minister. In such a case, the issue is taken to the Amir, who may either relieve the Prime Minister of office and appoint a new Cabinet or dissolve the Assembly and hold fresh elections.

The National Assembly has the right to set up standing as well as ad-hoc committees from among its members. These committees include Committee on Petitions and Complaints, Committee on Interior Affairs and Defence, Committee on Financial and Economic Affairs, Committee on Legislative and Legal Affairs, Committee on Affairs of Education, Culture and Guidance, Committee on Health, Social Affairs and Labour, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Public Utilities, Committee on Protection of Public Funds and the Committee on Defence of Human Rights.

Website: www.moe.edu.kw

Established in 1962, the Ministry of Education is one of the largest ministries with about 50,000 employees. The Ministry aims at updating and developing educational and teaching methods to ensure education to all citizens of Kuwait.

Education in Kuwait is imparted at four different levels:

• Kindergarten, with a duration of two academic years,

• Primary, with a duration of four academic years,

• Intermediate, with a duration of four academic years and

• Secondary, with a duration of four academic years.

Primary education is a fundamental right and is free and compulsory for all Kuwaitis. The education system in Kuwait can also be divided into three categories: Public, Private and Qualitative.

Public education

As per the data of academic year 1998-1999, there were 148 kindergartens, 179 primary schools, 164 intermediate schools and 117 secondary schools in Kuwait.

Private education

Private education was originally established to accommodate foreigners working in the country accompanied by their families. The following categories of schools fall under the umbrella of private education: Arabic private schools, foreign private schools (British, American, Indian etc), and cultural institutes (specialising in training, vocational and career studies).

The Arabic private schools receive support from the government and are run according to the academic requirements of the State of Kuwait. Foreign schools are run according to the academic curriculum of the country they emulate, but under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The Ministry has made it mandatory for these schools to provide courses in Arabic language, Islamic religion, and history, geography and culture.

Qualitative education

Qualitative education can be further subdivided into the following segments:

• Religious education It consists of the intermediate and secondary levels. There were 81 religious institutes in 1998-99.

• Special education The Ministry provides special education to handicapped and disabled children in the State.

• Adult education Adult education focuses primarily on the obliteration of illiteracy among adults. The rate of illiteracy continues to decrease.

The Amirs of Kuwait are descendants of the late HH Mubarak Al-Sabah. Legislative power is vested in the Amir and the National Assembly. Executive power is vested in the Amir, the Cabinet and the Ministers, while Judicial authority is vested in the courts.

The Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister includes ministers in charge of one or more portfolios. The Prime Minister, traditionally the Crown Prince, is appointed by the Amir. The ministers are appointed by the Amir on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Kuwait has an effective and well-functioning Judiciary, which decides all kinds of conflicts between various parties. A constitutional court, set up in accordance with the constitution, arbitrates on disputes relating to the constitutionality of laws, law decrees and regulations.

Kuwait also has an Audit Bureau which is responsible for preserving public funds and ensuring their optimal use through effective financial supervision. It reports to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The country is divided into six Governorates. Each Governorate is administered by its own local governing body called the Governorate Council.

Kuwait’s Foreign Policy

In essence, Kuwait’s foreign policy is based on the principles of clarity, straightforwardness and quiet diplomacy. It aims at strengthening constructive cooperation with other countries on the basis of mutual respect, and non-intervention in the internal affairs in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice. Kuwait’s foreign policy is also concerned with the maintenance of its own independence, sovereignty and freedom of political decision.

The formation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is an expression and extension of Kuwait’s primary foreign policy goals. Created on February 4, 1981, the GCC has based its work on these principles to intensify efforts towards broadening cooperation among its members. The Charter of the GCC was signed by Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia in May 1981. The GCC groups together countries that are similar in culture, political structure and legal framework. The preferred approach of the GCC States is political mediation, crisis management and balance of power politics. The Charter aims at establishing a free market aiming a currency union and free movement of labour among the member countries.

The Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) was set up under the GCC Charter to investigate and fund development projects within the GCC for the production of import substitutes. The GIC has made impressive strides in the various fields.

Kuwait is also a member of the Arab League, where it realises its belief in a common Arab destiny by enhancing its relations with the Arab States. Kuwait actively supports, and works for the advancement of the cardinal principles of the Arab League and all its associated organisations.

At the level of the Islamic States, Kuwait has achieved reasonable success in overcoming the obstacles that weaken Islamic cooperation. The fifth Islamic Conference hosted by Kuwait in January 1987 played a catalytic role towards attaining greater success.

Kuwait joined the United Nations on May 14, 1963 thereby becoming the 111th member of the world body. Kuwait has upheld the UN’s principle of constructive cooperation, based on peace, equality and justice, among the nations of the world. The UN, on its part, has reciprocated by lending international support to Kuwait during the invasion by Iraq. Kuwait has worked for strengthening the organisation and has pledged more funds to the UN corpus than its prescribed quota.

According to the Kuwaiti constitution, the number of ministers in a Cabinet must not exceed one-third the strength of the National Assembly. This number does not include the Head of the National Guard, the Amiri Diwan Affairs Minister, the Amir’s Advisor and the Chairman of the Audit Bureau.

The Cabinet controls the state institutions. It is responsible for the general policy of the government and its execution. Each minister in the Cabinet holds one or more portfolios. The Prime Minister and his ministers are accountable to the Amir and the National Assembly.

Besides executive powers, the Constitution grants the Cabinet authority to declare defensive war, proclaim martial law, promulgate law decrees when the National Assembly is not in session or its legislative term has expired, grant pardons, and issue executive and administrative regulations.

Police and Security

Kuwait’s law and order machinery carries out its operations through a variety of specialised departments and professionals — criminal detectives, supply, traffic and patrol, nationality and travel documents, the Police Academy, investigations, planning and organisation, legal affairs, special security forces, immigration affairs, border security, coast guards, trials and military councils, civil defense, Arab and international police, security facilities, criminal sentences, execution and prisons.

State-of-the-art security systems and computers have been placed at the service of the police; each car driven on the streets of Kuwait has a corresponding file encapsulating its details in the police computer. The police also keeps track of every person who is barred by law from leaving or entering the country. The Ministry has provided the Department of Criminal Evidence with the most modern scientific equipment, which helps security agencies in analysing material found at the crime scene.

Training and rehabilitating policemen has been the top priority of the Interior Ministry. In 1965, the Kuwait Police Academy was set up to provide the country with the much required police officers and police science professionals. The duration of study at the Academy is two to four years, and each year has two academic terms.

Women have been incorporated as staff in some Interior Ministry departments such as Criminal Evidence, Airport Police and the Public Department of Investigations.

Following liberation, the Ministry took steps to further strengthen security and stability in the country by increasing the number of patrols, and opening a number of commands and police stations in the capital governorate. The Ministry also organised courses in inspection and training, controlling residency and traffic law violations, and establishing round-the-clock inspection posts in various areas.

Civil Defence

Civil Defence has become one of the most necessary security requirements in modern times, especially in cases of emergency and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods or external invasion. The Ministry of Interior has thus given top priority to the Department of Civil Defence, which counts on highly trained manpower, modern equipment and alarm systems.

Governors and Governorate Councils

The Interior Ministry is also responsible for assisting the Governor of each governorate in discharging his duties as and when required. Further, the Interior Minister is on the board of the Governorates Affairs Council, which is headed by the Prime Minister and which looks after the performance of various governorate councils.

A more structured education system came into being in 1936, when a Council of Education was set up. In 1956, the government adopted a major education plan that divided formal education into four categories: Kindergarten, with a duration of two academic years; Primary with a duration of four academic years; Intermediate, with a duration of four academic years; and Secondary, with a duration of four academic years.

All schools and institutes, public and private, are subject to regulations formulated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. The Private Education Department of the Ministry of Education supervises all foreign schools in Kuwait, which must be registered with the Department.

Kindergarten

The Ministry provides free kindergartens for Kuwaiti children between the ages of four and six. There are a large number of expatriate schools for expatriate children, aged between two and four years.

Elementary, Intermediate and Secondary Education

Primary education is a right and is offered free of charge by the State. It is obligatory for all Kuwaitis from the age of six to 14 attend school – primary school to the intermediate school. Attendance at schools run by the State is limited only to Kuwaiti children.

Private schools for Arab expatriate children receive generous government support, land to construct schools, and free textbooks. Some assistance is also provided to non-Arab schools. Private schools for non-Arab children follow the curricula of their respective home country.

The school year runs from about mid-September to mid-June. Expatriate schools usually have three days off in October; breaks of a fortnight each, twice a year; and all official holidays. The school week is Saturday through Wednesday. Most schools start at 7:45 am and finish at 2 pm, though timings vary a bit between summer and winter and between schools for different nationalities.

University and Adult Education

Kuwait University was established in 1966, with the aim of providing academic, professional and technical rehabilitation, and supplying the country with scientifically and practically qualified manpower in different
fields. Kuwait University is open to expatriate students, provided their grades meet the requirements for admission.

State-funded adult education and vocational training is provided by the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET).

Additionally, there are several private institutions in the country that offer a variety of full and part-time courses in various subjects such as business studies, secretarial skills, computing and languages.

The Constitution also stipulates the establishment of a Constitutional Court. This court decides disputes relating to the constitutionality of laws, law decrees and regulations, and election of MPs, or the validity of their membership. It also has the authority to interpret a constitutional article following a request by the National Assembly or the government. If the Constitutional Court decides that a law, a law decree or a regulation is unconstitutional it shall be considered null and void.

The Judiciary in Kuwait is organised under three distinct categories:

THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

This is the nucleus of Kuwait’s legal system. It decides conflicts of personal, civil, commercial, and labour affairs as well as administrative cases. It also gives judgements on criminal cases, and significant civil and commercial cases.

THE COURT OF APPEAL

This department looks into appeals and rulings sent down from the Court of First Instance (except those appealed before the Court of First Instance in the way of urgent, penalised and non-penalised cases).

SUPREME COURT

This apex body looks into court appeals concerning commercial, labour and civil cases as well as cases related to personal affairs and crimes. It is also instrumental in establishing legal rules, and interpreting and applying the laws of the country. Its sentences are handed down by a five-member advisory committee.

The Amir acts as the final court of appeal in Kuwait.

Radio Kuwait started its first transmission using a 0.5 KW transmitter in one of the rooms in Naif palace. It later started broadcasting on short and medium wave lengths from the current Ministry of Information building. In 1960, a year before independence, four more transmitters were added.

The first feminine voice was also heard for the first time this year. Efforts continued to boost the station’s transmission and in 1990, before the Iraqi invasion, the station’s transmission capacity was 500 kilowatt and its reach included most of Europe and North America.

During the Iraqi occupation, Radio Kuwait continued to broadcast from Saudi Arabia. After liberation, Kuwait was determined to rebuild what it had lost. Radio Kuwait restarted transmissions from Kuwait on March 3, 1991 and two days later the medium wave channels were operational. By the end of 1991, all channels had started operating again.

Today, Radio Kuwait, under the auspices of the Ministry of Information, uses state-of-the-art broadcasting technology and its programmes reach out to a much wider audience inside and outside Kuwait. Its programmes in Arabic and English are broadcast on the FM, MW and SW frequencies and cover a wide range of subjects such as Arabic music (folk and modern), news, discussions, and current and social affairs.

Kuwait’s English language radio stations broadcast a mix of current hit music and popular oldest in rock, contemporary and other styles. They also broadcast regular local and foreign news updates and financial and sports reports. Operating 24 hours a day from one of the most sophisticated studios in the world, local DJs and presenters are very popular on both live and pre-recorded shows.

Today, with more niche channels serving 24 hours a day, it has become possible to cater to much larger audiences. Radio Kuwait today has number of channels that broadcast various programmes covering all spheres of life such as media information, politics, society, literature, sports, the arts, news, songs and Quranic readings around the clock. Some programmes are also broadcast in English, Persian, Filipino and Urdu. While some programmes are broadcast 24 hrs a day, others are aired on time sharing/time slot basis.

There are three radio transmission stations:
1. Kabd: Has 20 transmission sets which range between medium wave and short wave.
2. Al-Makawa: Has two transmission sets and well as an emergency set
3. Al-Jeewan: Transmits FM programmes in Arabic and English.