Education

During the 2013/14 academic year, the government operated a total of 803 public schools, with a total enrolment of 360,845 pupils and a teaching staff of 60,902. As demand grows, reforms designed to underpin the sector’s role in the government’s economic diversification plan are being implemented in line with Kuwait Vision 2035, the country’s long-term development strategy. A greater focus on research and development will be needed over the long term as part of the broader push towards a knowledge-based economy. An ongoing focus on female education has led to low levels of unemployment among women aged 15-24, which in 2013 stood at 12.7% versus 22.8% for males. In the private sector, the number of schools has risen from 453 in 2005/06 to 501 in 2013/14, with enrolment rising above 250,000.