KUWAIT CITY, Feb 23: The Ministry of Education is currently grappling with an unprecedented crisis in filling up vacant supervisory and leadership positions, with over 293 vacancies at senior and middle management levels. Sources disclosed that these vacancies include vital positions like undersecretary, assistant undersecretaries, department directors, supervisors, school directors, assistant directors and unit heads in the main office, educational districts and central departments. Sources said the ministry is experiencing significant administrative instability across all sectors and educational districts.

This disruption is felt in different posts including department directors, supervisors, unit heads and guidance teams; made worse by the ongoing rotation and assignment decisions that lack official appointments, sources added. These measures have only worsened the administrative challenges and hampered the efficient functioning of the ministry, sources elaborated. Despite frequent rotation and assignment decisions, the temporary fixes have proven ineffective in addressing the administrative gaps within the ministry. The lack of official appointments for leadership and supervisory roles has fostered a climate of instability which, in turn, is undermining administrative performance and the delivery of educational services, sources explained. Sources emphasized the need for long-term solutions rather than continued reliance on temporary measures.

They argued that filling up vacant leadership positions through rotation and assignment – rather than through permanent appointments – fails to provide a sustainable solution to the vacancy crisis. Addressing this crisis necessitates the development of a comprehensive strategy to permanently fill the vacant positions, alongside the acceleration of necessary procedures to appoint qualified educational leaders, sources added. According to the latest statistics, the vacant positions span critical roles such as assistant undersecretary, department director, supervisor, unit head and other leadership positions in various educational sectors and districts.

By Abdulrahman Al-Shammari
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff