KUWAIT CITY, May 13, (Agencies): The State Audit Bureau holds the Ministry of Education and Higher Education responsible for the wastage of public funds in 2010-2011, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting sources.
Sources said the bureau was surprised after finding out the repetition of irregularities in most of the ministry’s departments; thereby, causing huge losses to the State Treasury.  In its recent report, the bureau revealed the ministry has failed to collect KD364,000 from the owners of public schools and this has prevented the Treasury from realizing revenues estimated at KD766,000, sources revealed.
The bureau also slammed the ministry for not collecting compensation amounting to KD46,000 for additional buildings in some private schools, while neglecting school maintenance works with an estimated cost of KD169,000, sources added.  
Meanwhile, a forum was held Sunday at a local school in Hawalli educational district to spread awareness on the negative effects of narcotics and drugs addiction.
Head of Hawalli educational district Mona Al-Salal opened the event at the Ibin Al-Nafis intermediate school, saying that the ministry is keen on combating drugs and protecting the youth from it.
She said it was very important that the society works with the educational system in fending off drugs and narcotics, noting that the state would support efforts on this level.
The school’s principal Sha’ban Hassan, on his part, attributed addiction to several reasons, indicating the lack of a healthy family atmosphere at home was one of the reasons that drives the youth towards drugs.
Secretary General of the National Drug Awareness and Prevention Project (Ghiras) Dr Ahmad Al-Samdan affirmed that the committee was very keen on co-sponsoring the event with the Education Ministry to directly address the problem on the school level.
The event will conclude Monday with a lecture on the dangers of addiction during adolescent.