KUWAIT CITY, Dec 15: The Fatwa and Legislation Department has expressed its opinion on the controversy regarding the exemption of private schools from paying rental fees of the facilities they use, during the period when the schools were suspended, reports Al-Rai daily. The schools declared that they are exempted from payment from the date of suspension of schools until the date classes were resumed remotely. Head of the department Salah Al-Masad explained that the precautionary measures taken by the state during the COVID-19 crisis represent “an external reason beyond the control of the contractors, which resulted in the suspension of studies in public and private schools for all educational levels during the period from March 1 to August 4, 2020. The entitlement in return for the benefit is subject to the fulfillment of the benefit, which was not achieved during the period of complete suspension of the study”.

Some private schools were covered by the Cabinet’s decision to exempt contractors with ministries from paying rents during the COVID- 19 crisis for the units where activities were suspended as a precautionary measure. They therefore asked the Ministry of Education to exempt them from paying rents. In turn, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education Dr. Ali Al-Yaqoub requested the Fatwa and Legislation Department to express its legal opinion on the issue, for the period from February 26, 2020 to August 31, 2020. In a letter addressed to the head of the department, Dr. Al-Yacoub explained that there are 45 public schools that are used for private education purposes under temporary administrative licenses.