Panel restricts Kuwaiti students

KUWAIT CITY, June 29: The parliamentary Education, Culture and Guidance Affairs Committee on Tuesday discussed the decision of the National Bureau for Academic Accreditation at the Ministry of Higher Education to reduce the number of universities in Egypt and Jordan where Kuwaiti students could enroll.

Chairman of the committee MP Hamad Al-Matar disclosed that they also discussed the strategies for improving Kuwait University’s ranking in global educational indices with senior officials at the university. He affirmed his commitment to improve the quality of educational outputs; clarifying that when he decided to tackle the decision of the National Bureau for Academic Accreditation, he had no intention to include low-ranking universities to the list of academic institutions where Kuwaiti students could enroll.

He added the committee will meet with representatives of the bureau next Wednesday to deliberate on the issue and look into the bureau’s justifications for taking such a decision. He stressed the committee will not approve the enrollment of Kuwaiti students in suspicious universities, which condone cheating among students. He said the committee discussed the university’s ranking with Professors Yousef Al-Roumi, Asaad Al-Rashead and Murdi Al-Anzi -- all of whom affirmed their willingness to cooperate with the panel.

He affirmed the educational output of Kuwait University is the best in the country; indicating that QS World University Rankings is not the only index which ranks the university as there are other indices like Shanghai and Times Higher Education. He disclosed the administration of the university presented seven initiatives for improving its rank; such as increasing the number of foreign students, evaluating the achievements of faculty members, unifying data for annual reports and upgrading the automated system. He also urged his colleagues to support the proposed KD10 million budget increase for scientific research in the university.

Meanwhile, MP Osama Al-Shaheen submitted a proposal to include those with disabilities to the beneficiaries of the KD3,000 incentive and KD20 pension increment every two years for retirees. He argued that Public Institution for Social Security Law No. 61/1976 authorizes the institution to grant incentives and exceptional salaries to deserving categories. In addition, National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim traveled to Azerbaijan on Wednesday to attend the Parliamentary Network of Non-Aligned Movement Conference. The conference, which is under the patronage of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Alyev, will start on Thursday.

Al- Ghanim will deliver a speech on the role of parliaments to promote global peace and sustainable development. The delegation headed by Al-Ghanim includes Undersecretary of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) MP Obaid Al- Wasmi, IPU Treasurer MP Salman Al-Azmi, MP Ahmad Al- Hamad and MP Mubarak Al-Ajmi. Deputy Speaker Ahmed Al-Shuhoumi, State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Muhammad Al-Rajhi and Secretary General of the Assembly Adel Al-Lugani sent off the delegation at the airport. Moreover, Al-Ghanim sent a cable to National Assembly Speaker of Seychelles Roger Mancienne to greet him on the National Day of his country. By Saeed Mahmoud Saleh Arab Times Staff